Open Senate Seat Puts Democrats On Defense In Michigan

Gary Peters’ unexpected retirement from a crucial swing state Senate seat has put Democrats on defense in an already rough Senate cycle — and amid a painful round of soul-searching within the party.

As an ambitious field of Democrats gears up to run for the seat, the retirement turned Michigan into an early arena for the Democratic Party’s identity crisis in a battleground state — and could be a sign of whether the GOP’s strength endures in the Rust Belt without President Donald Trump on the ballot in 2026. Already, one of the top potential contenders — Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — took herself out of contention for the Senate race.

"If Whitmer had run, she would've frozen the field. Now, we've got an open one. You've got [Pete] Buttigieg, [state Sen. Mallory] McMorrow, and I'm sure there will be surprises,” said Democratic Michigan state Rep. Noah Arbit.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and his newly minted campaign chair Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) face steering their party through a competitive Senate primary after quietly maneuvering to avoid a marquee intraparty matchup last cycle.

First elected in 2014, Peters won reelection by just under two points in 2020 and served as chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee when Democrats had control of the chamber. He was a two-term chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

His departure means Michigan will have both an open Senate and governor’s race in 2026 that will draw widespread interest from ambitious politicians in both parties.

Peters’ retirement sent shockwaves through the Michigan political establishment on Tuesday morning. Peters is only 66, a comparatively young retirement age in a chamber that often includes nonagenarians.

Democrats have a massive bench of candidates from across the ideological spectrum, including: McMorrow, seen within the party as a rising star and effective communicator; Rep. Haley Stevens; purple-district Reps. Hillary Scholten and Kristen McDonald Rivet; Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel; Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist; and Buttigieg, the former Transportation secretary and recent Michigan transplant.

A crowded primary for the seat would allow Democrats to test out different messages and lines of attack against Trump as they forge a path forward after a brutal election defeat. Trump swept through the Rust Belt and picked up the Sun Belt states that former President Joe Biden flipped in 2020.

While Whitmer pulled her name out of contention, the race could draw a crowded field.

“Pete is exploring options on how he can be helpful and continue to serve. He's honored to be mentioned for this and he's taking a serious look,” said a person close to Buttigieg granted anonymity to speak candidly.

Stevens is also “actively considering it,” according to a person familiar with her thinking. Gilchrist is also taking a “serious look,” per a person familiar with his plans. And McMorrow told POLITICO, “I’m taking a serious look at both the Senate seat as well as the governor’s race and plan to have a number of conversations in the coming days about where I can do the most good for Michiganders.”

Others include state Sen. Sarah Anthony, who said she is “definitely looking at it.” Matt Sahr, who heads the Michigan firefighters union, is considering a bid for the open seat, according to a person familiar with his plans. (Sahr himself declined to comment.)

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has already jumped into the governor's race.

Democrats lost their narrow Senate majority in 2024 and have only a narrow path toward reclaiming it in the midterms. The 2026 map is small, with only a handful of truly competitive seats. Democrats will have to defend Sen. Jon Ossoff in Georgia as well as a now-open seat in Michigan. Republicans have to protect Sens. Thom Tillis in North Carolina and Susan Collins in Maine.

Given Trump's victory in Michigan, and the state party's full embrace of MAGA-ism, Republicans now believe they are in the best position to win a statewide race for the first time in years.

"The cookie cutter Republicans of the past aren't gonna make the cut," said a senior Michigan Republican granted anonymity to speak candidly. "If you were anti-Trump, there's literally no path."

Republicans have a narrower field of contenders — but that doesn't necessarily mean the primary couldn't get ugly.

Perhaps the strongest recruit would be GOP Rep. John James, a rising star in the party who has run and lost twice for Senate in 2018 and 2020 but has never tried for an open seat. He is also thought to be eyeing the governor's mansion.

In the hours after Peters’ announcement, Republicans floated former Rep. Mike Rogers, who narrowly lost a 2024 race to Democrat Elissa Slotkin; former Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, who lost to Whitmer in 2018; business owner Sandy Pensler, who ran against Rogers in the primary and can self-fund; and John Tuttle, a well-connected former New York Stock Exchange executive who recently moved back to his native Michigan.

There's also a crop of rising young Republicans in the legislature, like Rep. Bryan Posthumus, who said when asked if he was interested in entering the race: "It's really early. We will have to see how things shape up a bit.”

Adam Wren, Brakkton Booker and Meredith Lee Hill contributed to this report.