Pete Buttigieg declines to run for Michigan Senate or governor, fueling speculation about a 2028 bid

Pete Buttigieg announced Thursday that he will not run for Michigan governor or the state’s open U.S. Senate seat in 2026, a decision that positions him for a potential 2028 presidential bid.

“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 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 personally informed fellow Michigan Democrats of his decision on Thursday morning, according to Politico, which first reported the news.

A source familiar with his thinking said that opting out of a 2026 race allows Buttigieg to maintain the strongest possible position for a 2028 presidential campaign. Running for governor or Senate, the source noted, would have likely taken that option off the table.

Following Democratic Sen. Gary Peters’ retirement announcement in late January, an adviser to Buttigieg previously told CNN that he was giving a Senate bid “serious consideration.”

Buttigieg said he “thought seriously” about both the governorship—especially as Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, another potential 2028 contender, faces term limits—and the Senate seat after discussions with family, friends, and Michigan leaders who encouraged him to run.

In a Substack post explaining his decision, Pete Buttigieg said he weighed what he could bring to the race against other potential candidates and considered how running—and serving—would compare to other ways he could make an impact in the years ahead.

The former transportation secretary under President Joe Biden described the country under Donald Trump’s administration as “less free, less secure, less democratic—and less prosperous.” He said he plans to spend the coming months engaging with both traditional and digital media to promote “a politics of everyday life, rooted in the values of freedom, security, and democracy.”

“I will be engaging partners, allies, friends, and strangers in the service of a more convincing and widespread account of American prosperity than either side has so far offered,” Buttigieg wrote.

Michigan Democrats Scramble for a Senate Candidate

Buttigieg’s decision has unsettled some Michigan Democrats, who are increasingly worried about holding onto a crucial Senate seat in a state that Trump won last November.

Senate Democratic leaders and officials with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee have privately lobbied Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to run, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the discussions. However, Whitmer—widely seen as the party’s strongest potential candidate—has signaled she is uninterested, as she weighs a possible 2028 presidential run.

With Whitmer out of the picture, other Michigan Democrats, including former Sen. Debbie Stabenow, are quietly encouraging freshman Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet to enter the race, according to sources familiar with the discussions. A person close to McDonald Rivet said she is “actively considering” a bid.

McDonald Rivet, who flipped a competitive mid-Michigan district that Trump also carried, is seen as a strong contender given her appeal to working-class voters—an essential voting bloc for Democrats in 2026.

Rep. Haley Stevens is also weighing a possible Senate campaign if the party doesn’t coalesce around another candidate, according to two sources familiar with her plans.

Buttigieg’s Political Trajectory

Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, first rose to national prominence with his 2019 presidential campaign, presenting himself as a pragmatic moderate. As the first openly gay man to mount a competitive bid for the presidency, he broke barriers and raised more than $80 million during the 2020 cycle.

His campaign saw early success in Iowa and New Hampshire but struggled to gain traction with voters of color, a key Democratic constituency. Weak performances in Nevada and South Carolina ultimately led to his withdrawal from the race just before Super Tuesday.

After exiting the campaign, Buttigieg joined Biden’s Cabinet as transportation secretary—a move many Democrats saw as an opportunity to build his credentials for a future presidential run.

A former Navy intelligence officer, Buttigieg deployed to Afghanistan in 2014 during his tenure as mayor.

This story has been updated with additional developments.