Michigan's Gary Peters won't run for US Senate reelection next year
Democratic U.S. Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan on Tuesday announced he will not run for a third six-year term next year, meaning the state will have an open U.S. Senate seat for the second time in two years.
Peters' campaign staff put out a release and a video from the senator announcing his decision, with Peters saying, "At this point in my life, I have been able to write many different chapters, and I look forward to the new ones with both anticipation and excitement."
The announcement is expected to reverberate through Michigan politics, giving Republicans a chance once again to capture a U.S. Senate seat in the state, something the GOP has not done since former U.S. Sen. Spencer Abraham won a single term in 1994.
It also comes at a time when some top Democrats could be strong candidates, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is term limited, and former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a former presidential candidate and South Bend, Indiana, mayor, who is giving consideration to a potential run.
A source familiar with Buttigieg's thinking said he is taking a “serious look” at Peters' seat. “Pete is exploring all of his options on how he can be helpful and continue to serve,” the source said. Buttigieg has a residence in Traverse City.
The open seat also comes as Republicans have closed the gap considerably in the state when running for the Senate. In 2020, Peters beat Republican businessman John James, who is now a congressman representing parts of Oakland and Macomb counties, by less than 2 percentage points; last year, former Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin beat Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers by about three-tenths of a percentage point.
Peters' decision was first reported exclusively by The Detroit News.
In his statement, Peters said, "I always knew there would come a time to pass the torch to the next generation of public servants and allow them the opportunity to bring fresh energy and ideas to our nation’s capital," echoing a phrase former U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., used when she announced in January 2023 that she would not run for another term.
U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, also a Democrat, won Stabenow's seat the next year and is now set to become Michigan's senior senator when Peters leaves office in January 2027.
Peters, 66, was first elected to the U.S. House in 2008, when he defeated Republican former Rep. Joe Knollenberg. He served three two-year terms in the House before being elected to the U.S. Senate, succeeding the late U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, who did not run for reelection in 2014. Peters was the only Democratic newcomer to win election to the Senate that year.
In the Senate, Peters rose to become chairman — and now ranking member — of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and a member of both the Armed Services and Appropriations Committee.
“I have two more years remaining in my current term and there is more work to do. I intend to continue my work on issues important to all Michiganders by working to lower costs, make sure everyone has the opportunity to succeed, feel safe in their community, and protect core American democratic values," Peters said.
Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler. USA Today staff writer Joey Garrison contributed to this story.