Sen. Gary Peters won’t run for reelection in 2026
‘My service in the Congress has been the honor of my life,’ Peters said.
Ten years after he was elected to the U.S. Senate, Michigan Democrat Gary Peters has announced he will not be seeking reelection in 2026.
In a Jan. 28 statement, Peters said he wants “to pass the torch to the next generation of public servants and allow them to bring fresh energy and ideas to our nation’s capital.” He said he anticipates spending more time enjoying his private life with his family.
“My service in the Congress has been the honor of my life,” Peters said. “It has been a humbling responsibility given to me by the voters of the state I love. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to serve, and I believe my work has left our country a better place.”
Peters, a Pontiac native, was first elected to represent Michigan in the Senate in 2015. The Lugar Center, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, D.C., called Peters the most bipartisan Senate Democrat in 2023 based on how often he cosponsored bills introduced by Republicans and how often they cosponsored his.
As a member of Congress, Peters voted for the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, which has funded critical repairs to the state’s roads and bridges and initiatives to help protect the Great Lakes from environmental threats. As chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, he has supported bills to strengthen security at the country’s northern border and combat human trafficking.
Peters began his public service career in 1991 as a member of the Rochester Hills City Council. In 1994, he was elected to the Michigan Senate, where he served for eight years. Peters represented Michigan’s 9th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2009-2013, and then represented Michigan’s 14th Congressional District from 2013-2015. He’s also a former Michigan Lottery commissioner and a former member of the U.S. Navy Reserve.
Following his retirement announcement, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer praised Peters as a “steadfast champion” for Michigan.
“As a member of the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, he has fought tirelessly to create good-paying jobs, bring manufacturing back to our state, strengthen our auto industry, lower Michiganders’ health care costs and protect reproductive freedom,” Whitmer said in a statement. “As a veteran of the U.S. Navy Reserve, Senator Peters recognizes the importance of a strong national defense and helped secure Michigan as a defense leader through his advocacy for Michigan’s Selfridge Air National Guard Base.”
Michigan junior Sen. Elissa Slotkin said, “Gary Peters is a true public servant who has devoted his life to making Michigan and our country better. I join millions of Michiganders in appreciating him for his decades of public service to our state and our nation.”
Peters’ term ends on Jan. 3, 2027. The newly open seat sets the stage for another high-stakes U.S. Senate race in Michigan after Slotkin won her bid to replace Democrat Debbie Stabenow last year.
Although he won’t be on the ballot next year, Peters said he intends to assist in Democrats’ efforts to elect his successor.
“I am leaving Congress, but I am not retiring,” Peters said. “I look forward to writing many more chapters when my term ends.”
