The former transportation secretary, who moved to Michigan from Indiana in 2022, had been seen as the most prominent potential candidate in next year’s marquee contest.

Pete Buttigieg is expected to forgo a run for Michigan’s open US Senate seat in 2026, according to two people familiar with the former Transportation Secretary’s plans, setting up a potential presidential bid in 2028.

Buttigieg wrote that he "seriously" considered running for office in 2026 but that the Democratic Party has a "deep and talented bench in Michigan."