Washington ― Gary Peters, Michigan’s senior senator and a former congressman, said he won’t seek reelection next year and will retire from the U.S. Senate when his second term ends in January 2027.

Democratic Michigan Senator Gary Peters has announced he will not seek a third term in 2026, giving Republicans a top target in a state likely to become a major midterm battleground. Peters, who won reelection in 2020 by a narrow margin of less than 2 points, surprised many with his decision.

Having lost Michigan in the presidential race, Peters’ decision forces Democrats to defend a critical Senate seat in Michigan without the advantage of an incumbent, complicating their efforts to regai

Democratic Michigan Sen. Gary Peters says he will not seek a third term in 2026, creating a highly contested battleground seat (AP video: Mike Householder)

Michigan Democratic Senator Gary Peters will not seek re-election to a third term when his current one expires in January 2027, leaving open a senate seat in a state Donald Trump won.

The news of Democratic Sen. Gary Peters not seeking reelection in 2026 is already leading to a lot of voters and experts considering what happens next in our state.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is eyeing a potential bid to represent Michigan in the US Senate after Democrat Gary Peters announced Tuesday he would not seek a third term, leaving open one of the most competitive seats in the 2026 cycle.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, who led the Democrats' Senate campaign efforts the past two election cycles, has announced he will not seek a third term in 2026, creating a highly contested battleground seat expected to be coveted by both parties.

The announcement creates an open seat in battleground Michigan, which has flipped from red to blue to red again in the last three presidential elections.

Democratic Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan announced Tuesday that he will not seek reelection in 2026, leaving Congress at the end of his second term and opening up a highly competitive battleground Senate seat.

Two-term Michigan Democratic Senator Gary Peters will not be running for reelection in 2026 to defend one of the most competitive Senate seats nationwide this upcoming midterm cycle. Peters, 66, is leaving Washington to spend more time with his family after a long career as a congressman and senator from one of America’s preeminent swing states.