Pete Buttigieg to announce he won't seek U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, source says

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is planning to announce that he won't seek Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat in 2026. Buttigieg's announcement is expected later Thursday according to a person familiar. Buttigieg, the Democratic former mayor of South Bend, Indiana has been considering his next moves after his role in the Biden administration ended earlier this year. Michigan's Senate seat was opened after Sen. Gary Peters unexpectedly announced he would not seek reelection. Many of Buttigieg's allies felt he could not realistically pursue the Senate seat while keeping the door open for a 2028 presidential run.