Could 'McDreamy' save Democrats' Senate race in Maine?

Democrats looking for a last-minute replacement for embattled Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner are buzzing about an unlikely name: "Grey's Anatomy" star Patrick Dempsey.

The Maine-born actor, best known for playing neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd aka "McDreamy" is one of a dozen potential candidates as pressure mounts on Platner to withdraw from the race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Platner faces a July 13 deadline to step aside and allow Democrats to name a replacement.

Calls for Platner to leave the race intensified after Jenny Racicot, a former girlfriend, accused him of sexual assault, according to previous USA TODAY reporting. While Platner has not announced whether he will remain on the ballot, he said in a July 6 social media video that he was "taking time to reflect on the best path forward."

The unusual scramble to find a replacement candidate has drawn comparisons to the rapid campaign rollout for Vice President Kamala Harris after President Joe Biden exited the 2024 presidential race.

Dempsey owns a home in Kennebunkport, Maine, according to Realtor.com and the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, potentially making him eligible to run for federal office in the state. For now, he has not publicly indicated any interest in running.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Could 'McDreamy' save Democrats' Senate race in Maine?

Reporting by Julia Gomez, Nick Penzenstadler and Margie Cullen, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 11:36 AM.