Pete Buttigieg won't seek Senate, governor jobs amid presidential bid speculation

Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced Thursday morning that he will not run for U.S. Senate or governor in the state of Michigan, potentially clearing the way to possibly mount a run for president in 2028.

"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 wrote 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's announcement comes as Democrats grapple both with being locked out of power in Washington and the prospect of defending multiple key Senate seats in the 2026 midterms.

A lot can happen between now and the next presidential race, but there is little doubt that's what the former secretary is gearing up for. A source familiar with Buttigieg's thinking said they believe this move puts him in the strongest possible position to run in 2028 and running for governor or senator in 2026 would have taken that off the table.

Buttigieg was expected to potentially announce a run for the seat being vacated by incumbent Sen. Gary Peters, who announced in January that he would not run for reelection. Incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited.

Buttigieg and his family had moved to Traverse City, Michigan, his husband Chasten's hometown, in 2022.

In a post on Substack elaborating on his decision not to run for Senate or governor, Buttigieg wrote that he had been seriously considered running for either jobs.

"I've had long conversations with neighbors, advisors, friends, elected officials, and with Chasten about whether to run. I reflected on what I could offer in light of the exceptionally high standards of leadership and service set by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Senator Debbie Stabenow, and Senator Gary Peters," Buttigieg wrote.

"I considered what I could bring to the race compared to other likely candidates, and what running and serving would mean compared to other ways I could make a difference in the years ahead."

He said that the Democratic Party "has a deep and talented bench here in Michigan, and I am certain that we will nominate an outstanding candidate for each office."

Buttigieg did not mention any specific plans for the future or his own plans, he said, include talking to "both legacy and digital media," talking with people around the Midwest, and "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" -- seemingly sending a dig at both the Republican Party and his own Democratic Party. He mentioned neither party by name.

Without calling out President Donald Trump by name either, Buttigieg called the United States "demonstrably less free, less secure, less democratic - and less prosperous - than it was just ten weeks ago," and said that people need to both show a positive vision of a "better future" for America and to be creative over "where we make our case" given that how Americans receive information has changed.

Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, first rose to national prominence when he ran in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. He served in President Joe Biden's Cabinet as secretary of the Department of Transportation, becoming the first openly gay Cabinet secretary to be confirmed by the Senate.

During Biden's 2024 presidential campaign -- and later, Vice President Kamala Harris's own campaign after Biden left the race -- Buttigieg served as a key campaign surrogate and was floated as a potential running mate for Harris, who ultimately chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Buttigieg's decision comes as both the U.S. Senate and governor races in Michigan, a key battleground state, heat up.

A few figures floated as potential Senate candidates have already indicated they will not run for the seat. But the field may be set to grow. Democratic Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow wrote on X on Thursday morning, "Busy morning, huh? Thank you to everyone encouraging me to run for Senate. I'll have more to share soon."

The Cook Political Report currently rates the 2026 Michigan U.S. Senate race as a toss up. Michigan's other Senate seat, up for election in 2024, was narrowly won by Democratic candidate Elissa Slotkin even as Harris lost the state.

Separately, the Michigan gubernatorial race already includes multiple high-profile candidates, including Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.

ABC News' Hannah Demissie and Justin Gomez contributed to this report.