Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg is reportedly considering running for the U.S. Senate in Michigan after Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) announced he would not run for re-election in 2026.
Buttigieg — who moved to Traverse City, Michigan, around two years ago — was being floated as a potential candidate for Michigan governor in 2026, but after Peters’ announcement that he is stepping down, Buttigieg is exploring a Senate run, The Detroit News reported, citing two unnamed sources. Democratic political consultant Adrian Hemond told The Detroit News, “This race is going to be instantly nationalized because of how close it was last year. Pete already has a national network.”
Peters made the surprise retirement announcement on Tuesday morning, saying: “I always thought there would be a time that I would step aside and pass the reins for the next generation. I also never saw service in Congress as something you do your whole life.”
The senator’s decision blows the door wide open for the 2026 Michigan Senate race. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer quieted rumors about her running for Senate on Tuesday morning as many politicos expect her to run for president in 2028. Whitmer is term-limited as governor at the end of her second term in 2026.
Peters’ retirement will come shortly after his Democratic colleague, Sen. Debbi Stabenow, retired earlier this month. The GOP will look to take advantage of the open Senate seat and cement its hold on the Senate in the 2026 midterm elections. Republicans have not won a Senate election in Michigan since 1994.
Michigan voters will also elect their next governor in 2026. Multiple people have expressed interest in the 2026 Senate race, but no one has officially announced a campaign for the open seat.
Buttigieg was the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, before running for president in 2020. Former President Joe Biden then tapped Buttigieg for Transportation Secretary. Buttigieg was criticized for his response to multiple transportation disasters, including the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment, and the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore.
