Democrats' standing in the Senate just got shakier after Gary Peters announced he won't seek reelection and leave his post once his second term ends in 2027.
Speaking to The Detroit News, Peters said he is ready to move on to a "new chapter" of his life, which includes spending more time with his family.
"I always thought there would be a time that I would step aside and pass the reins for the next generation. I also never saw service in Congress as something you do your whole life," Peters told the outlet.
The announcement of his departure is a new blow for Democrats, who lost control of the Senate in the 2024 election and currently hold 47 seats in the Upper House.
The party won the battleground state's Senate election in November, when Elisa Slotkin narrowly beat Rep. Mike Rogers. Concretely, she got 48.6% of the vote compared to Rogers' 48.3%. It was the closest margin of victory for any Democratic Senate candidates in the country, fewer than 20,000 votes.
However, President Donald Trump took Michigan at the presidential level, getting 49.7% of the vote compared to Kamala Harris' 48.3%.
Peters didn't delve into politics when discussing the reason for his decision. "I think this is pretty normal for everybody to say, I've done a job, and I'm proud of the job I did, but there are other things I want to do in my life. There are other ways that I can give back to the community," said Peters, who is a member of some influential committees including Appropriations, Armed Services and Commerce.
He confirmed he won't be running for Michigan governor in the future and said his current focus is "finishing strong" his term. "The great thing is this really allows me to just be completely, completely focused on the day-to-day work that I do as a U.S. senator and fight for issues that are important to people here in Michigan."
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