Sen. Gary Peters's decision to retire will affect control of the Senate, presidential aspirants and the rise or fall of other notable figures in Michigan politics.

Sen. Gary Peters surprise departure means back-to-back open Senate seats for Michigan but this one could be a much different kind of election.

The surprise decision Tuesday again complicates for Democrats in Michigan, who will be forced to defend an open seat in the battleground state for the second straight election cycle. Peters led the Democrats' Senate campaign efforts from 2021 to 2025 and helped the party hold control of the chamber in 2022 before Republicans flipped it last year.

Michigan Sen. Gary Peters’s (D) unexpected decision to not seek another term in 2026 has scrambled what was already expected to be a closely fought race in a key battleground. Democrats knew that next year’s Senate race in the Great Lakes State was going to be fierce,