Michigan Democratic Sen. Gary Peters will not run for reelection, opening a key Senate seat in 2026

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, who led the Democrats’ Senate campaign efforts the past two election cycles, has announced he will not seek a third term in 2026, creating a highly contested battleground seat expected to be coveted by both major political parties.

The 66-year-old’s unexpected decision Tuesday to step aside after just two terms comes as a surprise and poses a challenge for Democrats in Michigan during a turbulent period, likely dividing their strong bench between the gubernatorial and Senate races in 2026.

“After three terms in the House and two terms in the Senate, I believe now is time for me to write a few more paragraphs in my current chapter and then turn over the reins,” Peters said in a YouTube video. “I will therefore not seek reelection in 2026.”

Having lost Michigan in the presidential race, Peters’ decision forces Democrats to defend a critical Senate seat in Michigan without the advantage of an incumbent, complicating their efforts to regain control of the chamber, where Republicans hold a 53-47 majority. Expected to be among the names most circulated for the position is Pete Buttigieg, the former U.S. transportation secretary, who moved to Michigan in recent years.

This is the second consecutive cycle in which Democrats must navigate the challenge of defending an open Senate seat in Michigan, a state won by Republican Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential contest.

Longtime Sen. Debbie Stabenow shocked many observers by announcing she would not seek a fifth term in 2024. Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin held that seat for the party by a narrow margin.

First elected to the Senate in 2014 after serving three terms in the U.S. House, Peters has earned a reputation as a mild-mannered and moderate politician. Besides leading the Senate Democrats’ campaign efforts from 2021 until earlier this year, he also chaired the Senate Homeland Security Committee from 2021 to 2025 and is currently the ranking member on the committee.

Peters earned praise from many Democrats for aiding the party’s strong performance in the 2022 midterms by winning a number of hotly contested races to hold control of the Senate. But two years later, Republicans flipped several highly competitive seats, costing Democrats their majority in the upper chamber.

Peters’ decision sets up a major midterm election in the state. Second-term Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited, and the field for her successor is already taking shape.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced after the 2024 election that he is running for governor as an independent. Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Republican leader of the state Senate Aric Nesbitt have launched campaigns as well.

Buttigieg, who has been weighing a run for governor, is also considering running for the Senate in Michigan. Buttigieg, a former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, moved to Michigan shortly after his unsuccessful campaign for president in 2020.

The news of the open Senate seat quickly drew interest from many public officials eyeing higher office. State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, a Democrat whose profile has risen thanks to a viral floor speech she gave in 2022, confirmed in a statement that she’s looking into running for Senate as well as governor.

Second-term Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, also a Democrat, is another potential candidate for both the Senate seat and governor’s office.

Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens is considering running for the open Senate seat in Michigan, according to a person familiar with the matter, granted anonymity to discuss plans not yet made public. Stevens, who represents the Detroit suburb of Oakland County, was first elected to Congress in 2018.

Republican Rep. John James said “Brighter days are ahead for Michigan!” in a post to X, formerly Twitter, hours after the news of Peters’ announcement. James ran unsuccessfully for Senate twice, against Peters in 2020 and Stabenow in 2018. He found success in the House in 2022 and secured his reelection in 2024 after a second competitive campaign for the district in the suburban area of Detroit.

Whitmer, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, said she is not interested in pursuing the open Senate seat while speaking on ABC’s “The View” on Tuesday.

“I’ve got two more years on my term. I’ve got a lot of things I want to get done as governor,” she said. “What comes after that, I don’t know yet.”

The Detroit News first reported Peters’ decision.

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Associated Press writer Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.

Joey Cappelletti And Isabella Volmert, The Associated Press