Pete Buttigieg Opts Out of 2026, Prepares for High-Stakes 2028 Move

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is expected to announce on Thursday that he will not seek Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat, according to a report from Politico.

The decision leaves the door open for Buttigieg’s widely anticipated bid for the presidency in 2028.

BREAKING: PETE BUTTIGIEG expected to announce he is not running for Michigan’s open Senate seat… as he is expected to seek the presidency in 2028 – POLITICO pic.twitter.com/J3eSnaYf5o

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 13, 2025

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Buttigieg had previously expressed interest in running for the seat being vacated by retiring Democrat Sen. Gary Peters, one of the most competitive races in the 2026 cycle.

However, a person briefed on Buttigieg’s plans told Politico that he now intends to forgo a Senate campaign, opting instead to position himself for a potential presidential run.

Allies of Buttigieg framed the decision as a strategic move to avoid challenging races in both 2026 and 2028, which could complicate his path to the White House.

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“The hardest decision in politics is to pass on a race you have a very good chance to win,” longtime Democratic strategist David Axelrod told Politico.

“Pete was an A-list recruit and would have been a formidable candidate for the Senate had he chosen to run.”

However, Axelrod noted that winning a Senate seat in 2026 would “almost certainly” eliminate Buttigieg from consideration in the 2028 presidential race.

“This certainly keeps that option open,” Axelrod added.

Buttigieg first gained national attention during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, where he emerged as a strong early contender before ultimately endorsing Joe Biden.

Since then, he has remained a high-profile figure within the Democratic Party and currently polls behind only Kamala Harris in early speculation for the 2028 race.

The problem for Buttigieg and a lot of the other democratic candidates for 2028 is that there are hundreds of videos of them saying the most ridiculous things like bridges are racist. pic.twitter.com/oxjx3SCs6Q

— The Right Answer (@theright_answer) March 13, 2025

Meanwhile, Harris is reportedly weighing her own political future, with Politico previously reporting that she is considering a run for California governor in 2026.

Sources familiar with her plans said she is expected to make a final decision by the end of the summer.

With Buttigieg stepping aside, Democrats now face the challenge of recruiting a strong candidate to compete for the Michigan Senate seat in 2026.

The state, a key battleground, swung in favor of President Trump in the 2024 election, adding further pressure for Democrats to hold the seat.

Buttigieg, originally from South Bend, Indiana, changed his residency to Michigan in 2022, moving to the home state of his husband, Chasten.

Despite speculation about a gubernatorial bid, Buttigieg also opted out of the Michigan governor’s race, though early polling suggested he would have been a dominant contender.

His expected announcement is likely to fuel further speculation about his long-term political ambitions as Democrats prepare for a highly contested 2028 presidential race.

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