Sen. Gary Peters won't seek reelection in Michigan

Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) announced Tuesday that he will not seek reelection next year, dealing a blow to Democrats in a key battleground state.

Peters, 66, made the decision official in an interview with The Detroit News, saying that after two terms in the upper chamber and three prior ones in the House, he is ready to call it quits.

“I always thought there would be a time that I would step aside and pass the reins for the next generation. I also never saw service in Congress as something you do your whole life,” Peters, 66, told the outlet.

He also spoke at length about the decision in a nearly 5-minute long video .

“What we do becomes a unique, individual life story having many chapters. At this point in my life, I have been able to write many different chapters and I look forward to the new ones with both anticipation and excitement,” Peters said.

“Our Founding Fathers envisioned members of Congress as citizens, serving their country for a few turns and then returning to private life. I agree,” Peters said. “I believe now is time for me to write a few more paragraphs in my current chapter and then turn over the reins.”

The news has major ramifications on the 2026 map for Democrats, who will see the senior Michigan senator retire two cycles in a row after former Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D) did so last year. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D) narrowly carried her seat last year over former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.).

It also gives Republicans a bigger target on the dart board as Peters proved difficult to topple in his two Senate victories in a cycle when they are expected to be on defense given that the GOP holds 20 of the 33 seats that will be up for reelection next year. Those include contests in Maine, North Carolina and Iowa that could become difficult

"Gary Peters is reading the room. After spending years ignoring illegal immigration and destroying his state’s auto industry, Michigan is better off without him,” said Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, in a statement.

“We’re committed to giving them a fighter that will stand with President Trump to restore the economic prosperity and security of our country,” he added.

On top of Peters’ seat, Democrats will also be trying to hold onto Sen. Jon Ossoff’s (D-Ga.) seat, which has been the preeminent battleground contest on the board depending on the GOP’s ability to recruit Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) to run for it.

Not only has he been difficult to beat for Republicans, but so have Michigan Democrats generally speaking as the GOP has not won a Michigan Senate seat in three decades, which the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) noted.

“No Republican has won a Michigan Senate race in 30 years — including last cycle when Democrats won an open Senate seat even as Trump won the state,” said David Bergstein, a DSCC spokesperson, in a statement. “And Democrats will continue to hold this seat in 2026.”

The news also comes after Peters has become a bigger player for Democrats in recent years. He helmed the DSCC during their successful 2022 cycle and was cajoled into doing it once more for the less-successful 2024 one, which saw Republicans flip four seats and win a 53-seat majority.

Peters is the lead Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, having been chairman for four years previously, while serving on the Commerce, Appropriations and Armed Services panels.

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