Washington ― Gary Peters, Michigan’s senior senator and a former congressman, said he won’t seek reelection next year and will retire from the U.S. Senate when his second term ends in January 2027.

Democratic Michigan Senator Gary Peters has announced he will not seek a third term in 2026, giving Republicans a top target in a state likely to become a major midterm battleground. Peters, who won reelection in 2020 by a narrow margin of less than 2 points, surprised many with his decision.

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

Michigan Sen. Gary Peters announced this week he will not seek a third term in 2026. The surprise announcement poses a challenge for Michigan democrats.

They will need to defend an open seat in a battleground state that President Trump carried in 2024. And Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ruled out a run.

Democratic Sen. Gary Peters won’t seek reelection in 2026, kicking off what could be a crowded primary to replace him in the battleground state of Michigan. Peters, 66, told The Detroit News that it is time for a “new chapter” that focuses on spending more time with his family.

Democratic Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan announced Tuesday that he will not seek reelection in 2026, leaving Congress at the end of his second term and opening up a highly competitive battleground Senate seat.

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, who led the Democrats’ Senate campaign efforts the past two election cycles, announced this week he will not seek a third term in 2026, creating a highly contested battleground seat expected to be coveted by both major political parties.

For the first time since announcing he won't run for reelection, FOX 2 is hearing from Michigan U.S. Senator Gary Peters.

Former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers is gearing up to announce another Republican bid for U.S. Senate in Michigan, just months after he narrowly lost to Democrat Elissa Slotkin, according to multiple people with direct knowledge of his plans.