NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Patrick Dempsey broke his silence on his future in the political sphere.<\/p>\n Dempsey, 60, admitted he “gave it real thought” as he mulled over the idea of running for Senate in a Portland Press Herald op-ed published Wednesday.<\/p>\n The “Grey’s Anatomy” star wondered if he would be able to make a “meaningful difference” and encouraged elected officials to “put people before party” as he pondered effective leadership qualities.<\/p>\n ‘GREY’S ANATOMY’ ACTOR STEVEN W BAILEY BREAKS SILENCE ON RARE NEUROMUSCULAR DISORDER DIAGNOSIS<\/strong><\/p>\n Patrick Dempsey discussed his interest in a government position.<\/span> (Dave Benett\/Getty Images for BAFTA)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n “Over the past several days, I\u2019ve been asked a question more than once: Would you ever run for the United States Senate?” Dempsey wrote. “It\u2019s flattering, and I don\u2019t take it lightly. I love my home state of Maine.<\/p>\n “I care deeply about the people who live there and, like so many Americans, I\u2019m concerned about the direction our country is heading.”<\/p>\n Dempsey gave a run for office “real thought,” but “not because I was looking for a new career, but because I asked myself an honest question: Could I make a meaningful difference?”<\/p>\n “I want someone who leads with empathy,” he wrote. “Someone who listens before speaking, who has the courage to work with people they disagree with and who understands that public office isn\u2019t about power. It\u2019s about service.”<\/p>\n LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS<\/strong><\/p>\n Patrick Dempsey, seen with Eric Dane, starred on “Grey’s Anatomy” until 2015.<\/span> (Danny Feld\/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n “Most of all, I want integrity. That may sound idealistic today, but it shouldn\u2019t.”<\/p>\n Growing up in the Twin Cities of Maine, Dempsey learned “that dignity comes from work and from community,” and acknowledged how many families built their lives around working in mills or lumber businesses, but those “opportunities disappeared.”<\/p>\n “I care deeply about the people who live there and, like so many Americans, I\u2019m concerned about the direction our country is heading.”<\/p>\n \u2014 Patrick Dempsey<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n “The challenges are different but no less serious today,” Dempsey wrote. “Families worry about heating their homes, paying the electric bill, buying groceries, and affording healthcare. Too many parents are making impossible choices every month.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER<\/strong><\/p>\n “For some children, school meals are the most dependable food they\u2019ll receive that day. Those aren\u2019t political talking points. They\u2019re realities.”<\/p>\n He noted that through his Dempsey Center, he connected with thousands of families faced with “another unimaginable burden: cancer.”<\/p>\n Patrick Dempsey talked about his advocacy work through his own Dempsey Center.<\/span> (Angela Weiss)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n “A cancer diagnosis doesn\u2019t only threaten your health,” he wrote. “It can threaten your financial security, your relationships, your future and your peace of mind. Even families with insurance often struggle under the weight of treatment.”<\/p>\n He continued, “Healthcare shouldn\u2019t be a partisan issue. It should be one of the places where Americans expect their elected leaders to work together and deliver meaningful solutions. Those solutions require cooperation.”<\/p>\n Dempsey also acknowledged education as another deeply personal issue as he struggled in school due to a missed dyslexia diagnosis.<\/p>\n “As I reflected on all of this, I kept coming back to one question: Do I truly want to serve in Congress?” Dempsey asked. “After a lot of thought, I realized the answer is no. Not because public service isn\u2019t honorable \u2014 it absolutely is. But because I believe I can contribute more effectively through the life I\u2019ve already built.”<\/p>\n “Democracy depends on more than elections. It depends on trust, accountability, respect for the Constitution and a willingness to believe that people with different opinions are still our fellow Americans.”<\/p>\n He added, “I haven\u2019t lost faith in our country. I\u2019ve witnessed too much kindness for that. I\u2019ve seen communities rally around families they\u2019ve never met. I\u2019ve seen strangers become caregivers. I\u2019ve seen generosity that asks for nothing in return.”<\/p>\n Patrick Dempsey and wife Jillian Fink have been married since 1999.<\/span> (Axelle\/Bauer-Griffin\/FilmMagic\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n “Whether you\u2019re an elected official, a teacher, a nurse, a business owner, a parent or a volunteer, service begins with one simple question: How can I make someone else\u2019s life a little better?” he asked.<\/p>\n “That\u2019s the work I want to keep doing. So no, I\u2019m not running for office. But I am asking something of the people who do. Lead with humility. Tell the truth. Put people before party.”<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/p>\n He noted, “Remember that public office is a privilege, not a career path, and that leadership isn\u2019t measured by how loudly you speak or how often you\u2019re on television. It\u2019s measured by whether people\u2019s lives are better because you served.<\/p>\n “That\u2019s the kind of leadership Maine deserves. It\u2019s the kind of leadership America deserves, too.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"Patrick](\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1200\/675\/patrick-dempsey-bafta-2026.jpg?ve=1&tl=1\")
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