LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 21: Democratic presidential candidate former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg speaks at a Get out the Caucus rally at Faiss Middle School February 21, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevada holds its presidential caucus tomorrow. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced last Thursday that he would not seek an open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, leaving the door wide open for him to seek a much bigger role as his party’s next presidential nominee.
“My party has a deep and talented bench here in Michigan, and I am certain that we will nominate an outstanding candidate for each office,” he wrote on his Substack page, adding that he has “decided against” running in the state’s races for Senate and governor next year. He also wrote, “I am simultaneously thankful to be away from Washington and yet also more motivated than ever to contribute to the future of this country.”
>Ex-Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg Calls Trump’s Blaming DEI For Deadly Plane Crash ‘Despicable’
As the Biden administration neared its end, there was widespread speculation that Buttigieg might be eyeing a run for governor in Michigan, where Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited.
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Since wrapping up his role in the Biden administration in late January, Buttigieg has seriously considered the unexpectedly vacant U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, where he has lived in recent years. However, many key supporters he spoke with felt that pursuing the Senate seat would make it difficult for him to maintain the viability of a 2028 presidential bid.
Buttigieg ran for president in 2019, while he was the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, boosting his national visibility and earning himself a spot in President Joe Biden‘s cabinet. However, Buttigieg’s decision could potentially undermine Democrats’ efforts to hold onto a key Senate seat in 2026, but it might also support the party’s search for fresh national leadership to challenge President Donald Trump.
His announcement follows just one day after New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat, revealed she would not run for re-election next year. Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow is expected to announce a Democratic bid for Senate in April.
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