By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Senator Gary Peters, the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee, said Tuesday he will not seek re-election in 2026.
Peters, 66, represents Michigan, a state President Donald Trump narrowly won in 2024. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate and Democrats would need to win four seats in 2026 to retake control.
Last year in Michigan, Democratic lawmaker Elissa Slotkin narrowly defeated former Representative Mike Rogers to fill the Senate seat of retiring Senator Debbie Stabenow. Republicans last won a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan in 1994 and the state’s governor’s race will also be open next year.
Peters has pushed for years for legislation to speed the adoption of self-driving cars, give federal agencies new authority to deal with drones and pushed for new restrictions on Chinese vehicles.
He also pushed the U.S. Postal Service to delay consolidation plans and helped win significant financial relief.
Peters also served as chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in the 2022 and 2024 election cycles. He was among lawmakers who pushed for significant infrastructure spending and support for electric vehicles.
(Reporting by David Shepardson, Editing by Louise Heavens)
