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.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, of Michigan, announced Tuesday that he will not run for a third six-year term in 2026 leaving an open Senate seat.

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.