The Republican Party has the opportunity to expand its Senate majority by flipping the seat, as Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) has announced that he will not be standing for reelection in 2026, as AP News reported.
“I always thought there would be a time that I would step aside and pass the reins for the next generation,” Peters told The Detroit News, who published an exclusive interview with him. “I also never saw service in Congress as something you do your whole life.”
Peters, who is 66 years old, was initially elected to Congress in 2008. He served in the House from January 2009 to January 2015. He was initially elected to the Senate in 2014 and narrowly secured reelection in 2020.
“I think this is pretty normal for everybody to say, I’ve done a job, and I’m proud of the job I did, but there are other things I want to do in my life. There are other ways that I can give back to the community,” he said.
Peters was the leader of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the primary campaign financing arm of the Senate Democrats, during his tenure in the Senate.
This effort enabled the Democrats to retain the Senate in the 2022 election, but they ultimately lost it two years later. Peters stated that he is not withdrawing from the political sphere.
Between February 2021 and this January, Peters served as the chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee. He presently occupies the position of the committee's most senior member.
“I want to be very clear: I’m not retiring. I’m just not running for reelection in the Senate,” he said. “I hope, God willing, I have a lot more good years ahead.”
He has declined to participate in the Michigan gubernatorial primary that is scheduled for 2026, despite the fact that term limits prevent Governor Gretchen Whitmer from seeking reelection.
But she might seek the Democratic nomination to replace Peters if elected.
“There’s still a lot of work to do. We have issues related to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, natural disasters, cybersecurity to border security, and I’m intimately involved in all these issues, and we'll continue to do that,” said Peters.
Representative Hillary Scholten (D-MI), Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist, Pete Buttigieg (former Secretary of Transportation), and State Senator Mallory McMorrow are all Democrats who could run for the position.
Former Michigan Republican Senator Mike Rogers, current Michigan Representative Bill Huizenga, and former Michigan House GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain are among potential GOP contenders.
Once the dust settles, Peters won't have to worry about battling for his seat.
“The great thing is this really allows me to just be completely, completely focused on the day-to-day work that I do as a U.S. senator and fight for issues that are important to people here in Michigan,” he said.
