Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is set to announce that he will not seek an open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, a move that leaves the door wide open for him to seek a much bigger role as his party's next presidential nominee.
Since his role in the Biden administration ended in late January, Buttigieg has spent months considering his next move, including a serious look at the unexpectedly open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, where he relocated in recent years. But many prominent allies he consulted believed he could not realistically pursue the Senate seat while keeping the door open for a 2028 presidential run.
Buttigieg is expected to announce later Thursday he will not seek Michigan's U.S. Senate seat, according to a person familiar with his plans who requested anonymity to discuss private conversations. The news was first reported by Politico.
While Buttigieg's decision could weaken Democrats' chances of retaining a critical Senate seat in 2026, it may also strengthen the party's search for new national leadership to counter President Donald Trump. Buttigieg's announcement comes one day after New Hampshire Democrat, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen announced she will not seek re-election next year.
Buttigieg first ran for president as the little-known mayor of South Bend, Indiana in 2020 and outperformed far more experienced Democrats in the Iowa presidential caucuses. He later dropped out of the presidential race and was chosen by Biden to be his U.S. transportation secretary.