Washington — Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced on Thursday that he will not pursue an open Senate seat in Michigan next year, which leaves the door ajar for a potential White House bid in 2028.
“I deeply care about who Michigan will select as Governor and the individual sent to the U.S. Senate next year, but I’ve chosen not to compete in either race,” Buttigieg stated in a message on X on Thursday.
Buttigieg, who previously served as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was the transportation secretary under the Biden administration and recently relocated to Michigan. Earlier this month, he indicated he was contemplating entering the race for the open Senate seat. Democratic Sen. Gary Peters revealed in January that he would not run for reelection in 2026.
Peters’ unexpected announcement has opened a significant seat in this critical battleground state. Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin secured her Senate seat in November in yet another open race, but Michiganders also voted for President Trump. The upcoming race is anticipated to be among a few that will decide the Senate’s control after the GOP achieved a trifecta in the 2024 elections.
Buttigieg, now 43, sought the Democratic nomination for president in the 2020 election, competing against a large field of candidates. He gained momentum early on after securing the top spot in the Iowa Caucuses but exited the race as the party united behind former President Joe Biden.
When discussing the potential run for the Michigan Senate seat earlier this month on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Buttigieg said he was “looking at it.”
The former transportation secretary noted then that he intends to “continue working on the issues I care about,” adding that he had “not decided what that looks like professionally” or “if that involves running for office soon or not.”
“However, I will find ways to be useful,” Buttigieg concluded.
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