'Grey's Anatomy' star Patrick Dempsey fires sharp warning at politicians as he speaks on rumored Senate run

Patrick Dempsey broke his silence on his future in the political sphere.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.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.'

GREY'S ANATOMY' ACTOR STEVEN W BAILEY BREAKS SILENCE ON RARE NEUROMUSCULAR DISORDER DIAGNOSIS"Over the past several days, I’ve been asked a question more than once: Would you ever run for the United States Senate?" Dempsey wrote. "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 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?""

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’t about power. It’s about service."

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS"Most of all, I want integrity. That may sound idealistic today, but it shouldn’t."

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.""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.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER"For some children, school meals are the mo