SAUGATUCK, Mich. — Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is set to announce that he will not seek an open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, a move that leaves the door wide open for him to seek a much bigger role as his party’s next presidential nominee.
Since his role in the Biden administration ended in late January, Buttigieg has spent months considering his next move, including a serious look at the unexpectedly open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, where he relocated in recent years. But many prominent allies he consulted believed he could not realistically pursue the Senate seat while keeping the door open for a 2028 presidential run.
Buttigieg is expected to announce later Thursday he will not seek Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat, according to a person familiar with his plans who requested anonymity to discuss private conversations. The news was first reported by Politico.
While Buttigieg’s decision could weaken Democrats’ chances of retaining a critical Senate seat in 2026, it may also strengthen the party’s search for new national leadership to counter President Donald Trump. Buttigieg’s announcement comes one day after New Hampshire Democrat, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen announced she will not seek re-election next year.
Buttigieg first ran for president as the little-known mayor of South Bend, Indiana in 2020 and outperformed far more experienced Democrats in the Iowa presidential caucuses. He later dropped out of the presidential race and was chosen by Biden to be his U.S. transportation secretary.
Widely regarded as one of the party’s most effective communicators, Buttigieg boasts a massive social media following, a national donor network, and a Midwestern appeal that resonates both in Fox News Channel interviews and more intimate settings. Now living in Traverse City, Michigan, Buttigieg has been rapidly building connections in his new home state — a key swing state and a likely host of one of the nation’s first presidential primaries.
Buttigieg’s decision not to run for Michigan’s Senate seat leaves the race wide open to replace Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, who unexpectedly announced earlier this year that he would not seek reelection in 2026. Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow has been preparing a bid, while U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens is also considering a run.
A Republican hasn’t been elected to the U.S. Senate in Michigan this century, although Mike Rogers came within less than 1 percentage point last fall and is planning to run again.
