Pete Buttigieg is skipping the race for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat as he eyes a possible Democratic presidential run in 2028.
The trailblazing former transportation secretary was calling Michigan political figures Thursday and was expected to formally announce his decision not to run for the Senate seat being vacated by the retirement of Sen. Gary Peters.
Buttigieg, a moderate who mounted an impressive but failed 2020 White House primary run, is instead said to be instead laying the groundwork for another presidential run.
If he were to win the Democratic 2028 nod, Buttigieg would be the first openly gay major party candidate for the White House.
Buttigieg is the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, but moved to Traverse City, Michigan with his husband and young family in 2022.
The new home state raised speculation he could build a political future in the Wolverine State, although Buttigieg already ruled out a run to replace Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, another potential 2028 candidate who is barred by term limits from running for reelection.
Buttigieg did say he was considering jumping into the race for Peters’ seat and early polls suggested he could be a strong candidate.
But insiders warned it could have been tough for Buttigieg to mount successful and well-funded campaigns in two straight political cycles.
Buttigieg could be a formidable player in 2028, in which the early Democratic field of potential candidates could include 2024 losing candidate Kamala Harris and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, among many others.
The Midwestern military veteran mostly won high marks for his 2020 White House campaign, which amounted to an introduction to national voters.
As transportation secretary under former President Biden, he also won plaudits for his ability to communicate with conservative voters including successful appearances on right-leaning Fox News shows.
He has also sought to burnish his appeal to key Democratic constituencies like Black and Latino voters, who mostly shunned his 2020 candidacy.
Buttigieg’s decision not to run for Michigan’s Senate seat leaves the race wide open to replace 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% of beating Sen. Elissa Slotkin last fall and plans to run again.
With several swing state incumbents stepping aside, Democrats face a very tough fight to retake control of the Senate or even stay within shouting distance of Republicans, who hold a 53-47 edge.