Democratic Sen. Gary Peters won’t run for re-election in Michigan in 2026, creating a pivotal open Senate seat in one of the most tightly divided battleground states in the U.S.

The surprise decision Tuesday again complicates for Democrats in Michigan, who will be forced to defend an open seat in the battleground state for the second straight election cycle. Peters led the Democrats' Senate campaign efforts from 2021 to 2025 and helped the party hold control of the chamber in 2022 before Republicans flipped it last year.

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat, announced Tuesday morning he does not plan to run for a third term in 2026.

Mich., told the Detroit News in an interview released Tuesday that he would not be seeking re-election for his seat, which will likely set off an intense battle between Democrats and the GOP over the

Democratic Sen. Gary Peters won't seek re-election when his term is up in January 2027, setting up another important U.S. Senate race in Michigan.

Democrat Gary Peters' announcement means Michigan will have an open U.S. Senate seat for the second time in two years.

Michigan Sen. Gary Peters says he thinks it’s time to turn over the reins so he won’t be seeking a third term in 2026

Michigan Sen. Gary Peters’s (D) unexpected decision to not seek another term in 2026 has scrambled what was already expected to be a closely fought race in a key battleground. Democrats knew that next year’s Senate race in the Great Lakes State was going to be fierce,

Sen. Gary Peters surprise departure means back-to-back open Senate seats for Michigan but this one could be a much different kind of election.