Maine Democrats scrambling to get a candidate in place to replace Graham Platner can rule out Dr. McDreamy. Actor Patrick Dempsey, a Maine native, wrote an op-ed in the Portland Press Herald shutting down speculation. The Grey’s Anatomy alum, 60, said he gave the idea serious thought after being repeatedly approached in the wake of Platner’s latest scandal, per People. In the end, though, Dempsey wrote that he can help his state the most through his existing work, including the Dempsey Center for cancer care.
“As I reflected on all of this, I kept coming back to one question: Do I truly want to serve in Congress?” Dempsey 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.” In the meantime, the state’s Democratic Party is planning to hold a nominating convention before July 27, and candidates may be required to gather a minimum number of signatures, per Politico. Former gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson already has announced that he’s running.