November 21, 2023
The Good Candidate: Hill Harper Leaves ABC’s ‘The Good Doctor’ To Prepare For Senate Run
Hill was one of the three original cast members still with the successful show.
Hill Harper is trading in the scripts for bills.
The actor has officially ended his run as Dr. Marcus Andrews on ABC’s The Good Doctor, announcing he will not return for season 7 of the show amid his campaign for Michigan’s U.S Senate seat, TV Line reports.
A spokesperson for Harper’s campaign released a statement regarding his decision, saying his focus is on saving democracy. “Hill Harper feels strongly that there is a crisis in American democracy—too often, government only works for the rich and powerful while the rest of us struggle to find a voice.”
“Hill is dedicating his efforts full time to fixing that, and he’s running for the U.S. Senate as an active union member to give working people more of a voice in Congress,” the spokesperson added.
Harper was one of three remaining series regulars who started from season one of the hit show and one of two cast members not returning for season 7. His character, Dr. Andrews, resigned as St. Bonaventure’s president, the perfect setup for Harper’s exit.
The official exit comes just four months after Harper announced his candidacy. His campaign will challenge Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin, the congressional representative for Michigan’s 7th district, who, according to Entertainment Weekly, has received most of the endorsements from leading political figures in the state and federal government.
Outgoing senator Debbie Stabenow currently holds the seat.
For his campaign, the lawyer-turned-actor’s focuses are universal healthcare, climate justice, raising the federal minimum wage, and eliminating filibusters from the U.S. Senate. He recently supported legislation signed by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer that protects victims of domestic violence by keeping firearms out of their abuser’s hands.
While fans will miss Dr. Andrews, they can still keep up with all the drama when The Good Doctor returns Feb. 20 on ABC.