Buttigieg, 43, who lives in the Traverse City area with his family, said he was deciding against competing in either race - despite caring deeply about who the state will elect for those positions.

SAUGATUCK, Mich. (AP) — Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced that he will not seek an open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, a move that leaves the door wide open for him to seek a much bigger role as his party’s next presidential nominee.

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