Actor Patrick Dempsey has announced he will not be running for the U.S. Senate in Maine, addressing speculation about a potential candidacy to replace the state's Democratic Senate nominee, Graham Platner.
In an op-ed published in the Portland Press Herald, Dempsey stated, "After a lot of thought, I realized the answer is no. Not because public service isn’t honorable — it absolutely is," he wrote. "But because I believe I can contribute more effectively through the life I’ve already built."
Dempsey, known for his role in "Grey's Anatomy," founded The Dempsey Center, a non-profit organization in Maine that offers free supportive care to cancer patients.
Platner has faced accusations of sexual assault from an ex-girlfriend and has so far refused to step down from his position as the Democratic Senate nominee.