Peters offers optimistic outlook for Michigan Dems in 2026 Senate Race
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Twp.) at the Mackinac Policy Conference, May 30, 2024 | Anna Liz Nichols
Following the conclusion of his term in 2027, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Township) said he plans to remain active in public policy.
Earlier this year, Peters, who has served in the U.S. Senate since 2015, announced he would not seek reelection in 2026, to the shock of many.
While sitting down with the Michigan Advance at last month's Mackinac Policy Conference, Peters said his post-Washington plans are still up in the air, but stressed that he's not retiring.
'I'll have a lot more control over my life when I'm not in the Senate, because it gives me a lot more flexibility to do a variety of things. But I'm going to stay active,' Peters said.
With a year and a half left in the Senate, Peters said he remains focused on the Great Lakes, specifically on securing funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and additional appropriations for the U.S. National Guard's Great Lakes Oil Spill Center of Expertise in Sault Ste. Marie, which he helped establish.
Alongside serving in the U.S. Senate, Peters also chaired the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee from 2021 through 2025, with U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) taking over the role for the 2026 campaign cycle.
While Peter's decision not to run for reelection created uncertainty for Democrats' pathway back to a majority in the Senate, Peters said he's confident his party will retain the seat.
'Actually, that was part of my decision, because I want to make sure that the seat continues to be Democratic,' he said, pointing to two key factors that he said give the Democrats good odds.
First, 2026 will be a good year to be a Democrat, Peters said, with the party out of power typically performing better during midterm elections.
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'You have that historical precedent. Plus just the increased chaos we're seeing out of the Trump administration will mean that people are going to be voting Democratic, and next year, I think you're going to see that similar to what we saw in the last Trump administration,' Peters said, referencing the 2018 mid-term election where Democrats were able to take control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
In another benefit, Democrats also have a deep bench of candidates, Peters said, noting that while others may declare for candidacy, the four Democratic candidates that have already jumped into the race 'are all very talented people.'
The Democratic slate is currently made up of U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham), state Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak), former Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) and former Wayne County Health Director Abdul El-Sayed. Former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-White Lake) is currently the only Republican candidate, however reports say U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Zeeland) is also weighing a run, though he has yet to make a formal announcement.
That said, Democrats can't take anything for granted as Michigan is set to be a top battleground state, Peters said.
'The challenge for a race – Senate race in particular – when you have a primary is that you don't get your nominee till fairly late into August. And this race, it'll go from zero to 100 miles an hour within hours of the election,' Peters said.
However, the 2024 election illustrated a clear divide in the Democratic Party between its moderate members and the more progressive wing, best illustrated by the party's split over Israel and Gaza.
When looking for a pathway forward, Peters said Democrats need to remain focused on economic issues like affordable health care, job opportunities and voters' ability to save for and live a dignified retirement.
'All those issues are the most powerful. And you should always be focused on those. And that's not going to change,' Peters said.
When you think about the previous presidential election – where former Vice President Kamala Harris lost to Trump by just over 80,000 votes – a presidential loss would typically bring a Senate election loss with it, Peters said. However, that didn't happen in Michigan.
'We won here in Michigan. And if you look at Elissa Slotkin's campaign, it was focused on those bread and butter economic issues. We won Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin, and Nevada and Arizona and all of those Senate candidates, that's what they focused on. They outperformed the top of the ticket and they won,' Peters said.
Democrats still have to work to excite their base and cannot ignore them, but those economic issues are just as important to Democratic voters as they are to independents, Peters said.
As President Donald Trump works to radically reshape the federal government, congressional Democrats are tasked with both resisting the president and the Republican majority, and delivering results for their constituents.
While bringing home results for constituents is difficult, the Democratic minority has to use its position to call out Republicans' actions and paint a contrast in the minds of voters, Peters said, emphasizing elections are all about contrast.
Trump has violated pretty much every major norm of democracy, alongside several laws, Peters said, and while the judicial system has repeatedly been a check on the president, Democrats need to be aggressive in calling that out.
'I think we definitely have to be extremely aggressive in calling out just the blatant corruption we're seeing from the Trump administration,' Peters said, pointing to his decision to accept a $400 million jet as a gift from Qatar as well as his meeting with investors in his cryptocurrency business.
'We can't normalize that in any way, not just for the short term of getting rid of President Trump, but we can't normalize it for future administrations as well. The United States needs to be the place where corruption is never tolerated,' Peters said.
However, Democrats still need to walk and chew gum by retaining their focus on the economic issues, Peters said.
'I think those issues too are going to play out as we look at tariffs, which will increase costs. When people start paying more for the everyday goods that they have, they're going to realize that Donald Trump's promise that he was going to lower inflation on day one is not the case,' Peters said.
He also pointed to Republican's tax and spending bill, warning the plan would increase the nation's deficit by trillions of dollars, prompting higher interest rates.
'So you pay more for your car, you're going to pay more for your mortgage, your credit card, all those costs as a result of what I believe is completely irresponsible fiscal policy from the Republicans right now,' Peters said.
As some Democrats have called on their officials to do more to resist the president, arguing they could do more to be a thorn in Trump's side, Peters said Democratic lawmakers are using the tools they have.
While they've been able to use procedures to delay votes on legislation, those efforts are only delays, Peters said.
'We currently live, and I hope we always live, in a democracy and that means the majority rules in a democracy, yep. And if, if the majority have the votes, you can't stop it,' Peters said, noting that Republicans were in a similar position during the first half of former President Joe Biden's term.
This is where elections have consequences, Peters said, prompting Democrats to put their energy into next year's election.
Given the current political circumstances, Peters predicts Democrats will take back control of the U.S. House in 2026. The chamber is currently split 220-212, with three open seats.
'When you take back the House, then the dynamic changes dramatically in Washington. And Donald Trump, we'll be able to stop him, because he won't be able to pass things through the House,' Peters said.
While retaking the Senate would prove more challenging, it's not something Democrats can write off, Peters said. The chamber is currently split 53-45 with two independents Senators, Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) and Angus King (D-Maine), caucusing with Democrats.
While he understands the frustration among activists, Peters reiterated Democrats' limited options.
'You can slow down the majority, but eventually majority wins,' he said.
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