Didn’t see a thread, but forgive me if there’s one already.
The first major news from an incumbent: Gary Peters (D-MI) won’t seek reelection in 2026. He’s a two term Senator who led the Senate Dems election efforts in the past two cycles. I can see Buttigieg licking his chops this morning. ETA: Whitmer too.
Why would Buttigieg lick his chops? He is from Indiana.
And he lives in Traverse City, Michigan. He has for at least four years now
Huh? I would have thought he would have lived in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area for the last four years.
He is more from MI than Mike Rogers was, who listed an occupied property as his address for his Senate run last year.
Well he owns a home in Traverse City, his husband and kids live there and he’s registered to vote there, so…
For context:
Currently there are 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats including independents that caucus with the Dems. In 2026, 13 D seats and 20 R seats are up for grabs. Tie goes to the Republicans as there will be a Republican President of the Senate. There are two Republicans that can be considered independent of the President, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins. Collins’ seat is up for election and Murkowski’s is not
Actually there are two other Senate seats up for election in 2026: Senators Vance and Rubio (both Republicans) left their Senate seats and their partial terms will be filled.
The Vance and Rubio seats are guaranteed to go to the GOP. Ohio and Florida are dark, dark red.
I was already anticipating Peters in MI would have a rough time hanging on. We will have to see if the Ds can come up with someone who may have a better chance. That may be Buttigieg or it may not.
I don’t see the seat in ME flipping unless Collins decides to step aside.
And finally, Ossoff in GA is likely to face popular governor Brian Kemp as the GOP opponent. If so he is definitely toast.
I think Michigan has a few well-known and popular Democrats who could successfully fill Peters’ seat. Buttigieg, Whitmer, Rep. Haley Stevens, State Sen. Mallory McMorrow… I would’ve added Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan to this list of possibilities but he recently fell face-first off his donkey and decided to run for governor as a dadgum independent.
I don’t see the Michigan GOP with anyone as well-known or popular to win this, but who knows? Mike Rogers again? John James again? Walking cardboard box Bill Schutte? Someone from the DeVos circle? Everyone else is pretty much a nutbird these days (Tudor Dixon, Meeshawn Maddock, et al). Surely not any of the unknowns in the state legislature.
I hope John James runs again; it worked out so well for the Democrats the other times he ran.
I think Collins and her furrowed brow are ripe for a downfall. I wouldn’t rule out Ohio putting a Democrat back in, provided the new administration is the clusterfuck it seems like it’s becoming.
The one Republican who might give me pause, and I know it sounds batshit bonkers, is Bob Ritchie, aka Kid Rock. He could excite the maga crowd, the “we need something to change in Washington” crowd, the blue collar low-info voters, union voters, low-info youth, nostalgic Gen Xers… he has name recognition, charisma, appeals to Trumpers as well as low-info suburban moms and dads who cranked his music from their Ford Probes and Chevy Celebrities in their youth.
Not that I think he’s gonna do it, but we do live in an age of batshit bonkers politics. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few people from the state GOP at least have a conversation with him about it. He’s their most well-known supporter these days.
Good catch. I thought their appointed replacement served out their term.
Whitmer says it won’t be her but I don’t believe it.
So I have been on record saying I thought Ossoff D-GA was likely going to have trouble keeping his seat but when I saw discussion that MTG might run as the R, I saw that as giving him a shot of holding on if she got the nomination.
Now it appears that may well not be the case - Jewish voters are turning on him because of his position on Gaza and are actually encouraging Gov. Kemp to run in the R primary.
This is not good. Support for Palestinians keeps haunting the Democrats.
Bumped to mention that Senator Jeanne Shaheen, D of NH will not be running for reelection in 2026.
I had considered this to be a previously safe seat. I now expect former Gov. Chris Sununu (R) will at the least take a serious look at running. He’s only 50 and has national ambitions. If he does he would have a decent shot of flipping the seat to the GOP.
Either way, not good news for Democrats.
Looks like Mayor Pete doesn’t want to be Sen. Pete.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/13/pete-buttigieg-michigan-senate-run-00227583
That’s a shame as I think he would’ve been the heavy favorite in both the primary and the general. He could’ve been set with a long career in the Senate if he’d wanted. No one on the left has the statewide name recognition that he does, aside from Whitmer.
Can someone explain why Collins is a sure shot in Maine? It’s a pretty Democratic state in national elections in recent years and she’s very unpopular with Dems ( in my household anyway)
She may be unpopular with Dems but not with the people of Maine. In the 2020 Senate Election Collins was considered one of the most vulnerable incumbents in the Senate. She ended up winning by more than 8%.
Incumbency has power.
Yeah i don’t get that.