PEOPLE’s 2023 Sexiest Man Alive was quickly floated as a potential substitute for Platner after the former Democratic Senate candidate was accused of rape
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NEED TO KNOW
- Patrick Dempsey wrote an op-ed explaining why he decided against running for Maine’s U.S. Senate seat
- Supporters of the Grey’s Anatomy alum and native Mainer called for him to run amid headlines that another candidate was accused of rape
- After Dempsey’s op-ed was published, Democrat Graham Platner dropped out while denying the rape allegations
Patrick Dempsey is sharing where he stands on entering the race to represent Maine in the U.S. Senate.
On Wednesday, July 8, the 60-year-old Grey’s Anatomy star wrote an op-ed published by the Portland Press Herald, expressing his love and support for the state of Maine, while also explaining why he chose not to run for a seat in the U.S. Senate.
“Over the past several days, I’ve been asked a question more than once: Would you ever run for the United States Senate?” he began.
“It’s flattering, and I don’t take it lightly. I love my home state of Maine. I care deeply about the people who live there and, like so many Americans, I’m concerned about the direction our country is heading,” Dempsey continued.
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The Memory of a Killer actor said he gave the opportunity “real thought” because he knew it would be a decision that could “make a meaningful difference,” but it also made him reflect on the type of “leadership” his community needs.
“I want someone who leads with empathy. Someone who listens before speaking, who has the courage to work with people they disagree with and who understands that public office isn’t about power. It’s about service,” the actor, who was raised outside Lewiston-Auburn, wrote.
He added that by founding The Dempsey Center for cancer care and support, he’s been able to meet many who have taught him an important lesson: “Healthcare shouldn’t be a partisan issue.”
While many other issues, such as education, are “deeply personal” to Dempsey, he let his supporters know that politics was not a lane he planned on exploring at this time.
“As I reflected on all of this, I kept coming back to one question: Do I truly want to serve in Congress?” he wrote.
“After a lot of thought, I realized the answer is no. Not because public service isn’t honorable — it absolutely is. But because I believe I can contribute more effectively through the life I’ve already built,” Dempsey said.
He asked readers, no matter their background, to think about what they could offer to help others.
“That’s the work I want to keep doing. So no, I’m not running for office. But I am asking something of the people who do,” he continued, requesting that his community “Lead with humility. Tell the truth. Put people before party.”
Dempsey’s message came amid calls for him to replace Democratic candidate Graham Platner, a 41-year-old veteran and oyster farmer who announced his plans to drop out of the race on Wednesday, July 8, after being publicly accused of sexual assault.
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“We’re suspending campaign operations,” Platner said on Wednesday evening, roughly eight minutes into a newly posted 11-minute clip on X.
He has denied the allegations, but also said in his video that he intended to file his paperwork to withdraw from the race.
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Jenny Racicot, a 41-year-old Maine resident, claimed in a Politico article published Monday, July 6 that an intoxicated Platner entered her home without consent one night in late 2021 and forced her to have sex with him.
The allegations come weeks after Platner’s campaign previously confirmed in late May that he had exchanged sexually explicit texts with several women since marrying his wife, Amy Gertner.
PEOPLE reached out to Platner’s office for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
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