OAN Staff James Meyers
12:48 PM – Thursday, March 13, 2025
Former Secretary of Transportation under President Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, is reportedly foregoing a bid for Michigan’s open Senate seat and abstaining from a gubernatorial bid — instead pursuing a role of significantly greater importance, according to reports.
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The 43-year-old former transportation secretary made the announcement on Thursday, and insiders who reached out to the press believe that he will open up a possible 2028 White House bid.
“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 said in a statement on social media.
Nevertheless, Buttigieg emphasized that “while my own plans don’t include running for [Senate] in 2026, I remain intensely focused on consolidating, communicating, and supporting a vision for this alternative. The decisions made by elected leaders matter entirely because of how they shape our everyday lives – and the choices made in these years will decide the American people’s access to freedom, security, democracy, and prosperity for the rest of our lifetimes.”
According to a source that spoke with Fox News, the former transportation secretary is in a “strong position to run” for president in 2028, and that running for governor or senate “in 2026 would have taken that off the table.”
Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) is term-limited, meaning someone will have to replace her in 2026.
However, speculation surrounding Buttigieg making a run for Senate was more anticipated, and he had been reportedly eyeing it for months — the source noted.
“I’ve been looking at it,” he said earlier this month as he pointed to the emerging race to succeed Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.). The two-term Democrat announced in January that he won’t seek re-election in 2026.
“I’m going to continue to work on the things that I care about,” Buttigieg said as he appeared on CBS‘ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” “I have not decided what that means professionally, whether that means running for office soon or not. But I will make myself useful.”
During his 2020 presidential run, Buttigieg was able to raise over $80 million for his campaign.
His campaign struggled to win over voters of color, a crucial Democrat Party base, which hampered his performance in Nevada and South Carolina. As a result, he ended his candidacy just before Super Tuesday — despite his early successes in Iowa and New Hampshire.
After his failed run, Buttigieg took on the role of transportation secretary during the Biden administration.
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