Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced Thursday he will not run for Senate in Michigan following months of speculation.
“I care deeply about who Michigan will elect as Governor and send to the U.S. Senate next year, but I have decided against competing in either race,” Buttigieg said in a post on social platform X. “I remain enthusiastic about helping candidates who share our values – and who understand that in this moment, leadership means not only opposing today’s cruel chaos, but also presenting a vision of a better alternative.”
Buttigieg added that he remains “intensely focused on consolidating, communicating, and supporting a vision for this alternative.”
Buttigieg’s move to pass on a Senate bid keeps the door open to a potential presidential run in 2028. If Buttigieg were to launch a presidential bid, running for Senate in 2026 would have been a tight turnaround.
A source familiar with Buttigieg’s thinking told The Hill the move sets him up for the strongest possible position to run in 2028, noting that running for governor and senator would have taken that off the table.
The source added that while the Democratic Party has been in discussions about going to new places to reach people, Buttigieg has been doing that since day one.
The former Transportation secretary stoked speculation about a statewide run in Michigan following his move to Traverse City in 2022. He was floated as a potential gubernatorial contender but ruled that out last month.
Michigan Sen. Gary Peters’s (D) decision not to seek reelection in 2026 opened up another door to a statewide run, and polling showed Buttigieg would have had strong standing in a Democratic primary.
According to a Blueprint polling memo released last month, 40 percent of respondents backed Buttigieg for the position while Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel garnered 16 percent support.
A win in the primary would have likely led to a tough general election fight. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up.
Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D), who is expected to announce a run, responded to news Buttigieg was not running on X.
“Busy morning, huh? Thank you to everyone encouraging me to run for Senate. I’ll have more to share soon,” McMorrow said on the platform.
Buttigieg, 43, is seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party. He was elected mayor of South Bend, Ind., in 2012, but it was his 2020 run for president that launched his national political profile.
Buttigieg narrowly won the Iowa caucuses but endorsed former President Biden after dropping out of the race. Biden nominated Buttigieg to serve as Transportation secretary in 2020.
Updated at 11:14 a.m. EDT
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