Pete Buttigieg announces he will not run for Michigan Senate or governor
WASHINGTON - Pete Buttigieg announced in a social media post on Thursday he will not run for Michigan’s Senate seat or for governor, as speculation builds about a possible run for president in 2028.
Buttigieg’s announcement comes after Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., said in January that he won’t seek reelection for a third term. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's second term is coming to an end in January 2027, and she can't run again per state law.
"I remain enthusiastic about helping candidates who share our values - and who understand that in this moment, leadership means not only opposing today’s cruel chaos, but also presenting a vision of a better alternative," Buttigieg wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Buttigieg led the Department of Transportation under the former Biden administration and was the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, from 2012 to 2020. He made history as the first openly gay Senate-confirmed Cabinet secretary.
He faced sharp criticism from Republicans over transportation nightmares that have occurred during his tenure, such as a train derailment in Ohio; angry, stranded travelers in airports during the holidays and outdated technology used by the air travel industry.
While he did run for president in the 2020 race, he later dropped out because of his low performance in the Democratic primaries. He moved to Michigan with his husband, Chasten, about two years ago, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Michigan’s Senate seat will be a competitive one as Republicans seek to maintain a majority in the upper chamber. Last year, Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., narrowly defeated Republican challenger Mike Rogers 48.6%-48.3% for the Michigan Senate seat.