MichMash: Sen. Gary Peters’ retirement; Duggan on running for governor as an independent and more
This week on “MichMash,” host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow discuss who could possibly fill the vacant seat.
Sen. Gary Peters (D-Michigan) at the Mackinac Policy Conference on Mackinac Island.
Many in Washington and across the state of Michigan were shocked by U.S. Sen. Gary Peters’ announcement this week that he will retire from Congress when his term ends in January 2027. This week on MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow discuss who could possibly fill the vacant seat. Plus, Detroit Mayor and Michigan gubernatorial candidate Mike Duggan joins the show to share more about his decision to run for governor as an independent.
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In this episode:
- Sen. Gary Peters announcing his retirement from the U.S. Senate
- Who could potentially take Peter’s seat in 2027
- Mayor Mike Duggan shares why he chose to run as an independent
The aftermath of Peters’ announcement is potentially creating shifts into prospective candidates vying for Michigan political leadership. Roth expressed how the news give Democrats another hurdle to overcome.
“Democrats must be fuming,” she said. “Not to mention we might see some spill over effects on the governor’s race.”
Speculation might influence potential gubernatorial candidates such as Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and State Sen. Mallory McMorrow to change their minds and consider the soon-to-be open Senate seat.
Later on in the show, Mayor Duggan shared what inspired his decision to run for governor as an independent, saying it was more of a logical assessment than a risky maneuver.
“Look at the Gallup poll that they did for the last 40 years on party preference. Last year when they said, ‘What party are you associated with?’ [The polls showed] that 27% were Democrats and [those numbers] were dropping; 27% were Republicans and [those numbers] were dropping; 43% were independents and rising.”
Duggan said he feels confident that he will be able to work with both parties better as an independent candidate.
The Michigan gubernatorial race and U.S. Senate election will be on Nov. 3, 2026.
More from WDET:
- Detroit Evening Report: Activists, leaders share resources for immigrants; Gary Peters won’t seek reelection + more
- Democratic US Sen. Gary Peters says he’s already working with former campaign foes
- Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan will run for Michigan governor in 2026 as independent
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