Democratic Sen. Gary Peters won’t run for re-election in Michigan in 2026, creating a pivotal open Senate seat in one of the most tightly divided battleground states in the U.S.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, of Michigan, announced Tuesday that he will not run for a third six-year term in 2026 leaving an open Senate seat.

The announcement by Sen. Gary Peters creates an open seat in battleground Michigan, which has flipped from red to blue to red again in the last three presidential elections.