MI-Sen 2026: Peters retiring

[Roll Roons]

When has a state senator ever beat out a congressional member or statewide elected official?

Indiana 2018.

[JMT]

When has a state senator ever beat out a congressional member or statewide elected official?

Indiana 2018.

Nebraska 2012. Deb Fischer defeated the incumbent Attorney General and State Treasurer in the primary.

[Oryxslayer]

When has a state senator ever beat out a congressional member or statewide elected official?

Indiana 2018.

And the two congressman handed him that W by making themselves undesirable. These kind of  exceptions prove the rule, since the two congressman started as favorites, but then self-immolated so voters sought the most viable third option.

[Mr.Bakari-Sellers]

In a D +3 Eday like in 2020 Ds are fav in MI but it's a battleground

[Atlas Force]

Thread title idea if it’s a McMorrow vs. Buttigieg showdown: “Can She Compete With Pete?”

[ShadowRocket]

https://twitter.com/nannburke/status/1886428571314393233

I wouldn't mind seeing him run for Secretary of State.  Keeps him relevant, and looking ahead to 2028, its a good idea for Democrats to hold onto it.

[Zedonathin2020]

Thread title idea if it’s a McMorrow vs. Buttigieg showdown: “Can She Compete With Pete?”

What about "Can She ComPETE??"

[Atlas Force]

https://twitter.com/mleeForce/status/1886551692948504706https://twitter.com/mleeForce/status/1886551749969719421

[Spectator]

Why tf are people extrapolating Democrat caucus results from Iowa as proof of strength. This is like saying Bloomberg or Phillips are strong with Pacific Islanders.

[henster]

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/03/michigan-garlin-gilchrist-eyes-governor-bid-abdul-el-sayed-weighs-senate-run-pete-buttigieg/78183907007/

This article indicates that 2018 Dem primary runner up Abdul El-Sayed is mulling a run. Buttigieg would probably have significant issues if he ran but there's still a decent path for him. However I think El-Sayed as nominee would turn this race into lean R.

[Oryxslayer]

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/03/michigan-garlin-gilchrist-eyes-governor-bid-abdul-el-sayed-weighs-senate-run-pete-buttigieg/78183907007/

This article indicates that 2018 Dem primary runner up Abdul El-Sayed is mulling a run. Buttigieg would probably have significant issues if he ran but there's still a decent path for him. However I think El-Sayed as nominee would turn this race into lean R.

Good news then that if runs it probably won't be as successful as his 2018 primary run - since back then he had all the Progressives - and that time he lost by 20 points and in every county.

[henster]

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/03/michigan-garlin-gilchrist-eyes-governor-bid-abdul-el-sayed-weighs-senate-run-pete-buttigieg/78183907007/

This article indicates that 2018 Dem primary runner up Abdul El-Sayed is mulling a run. Buttigieg would probably have significant issues if he ran but there's still a decent path for him. However I think El-Sayed as nominee would turn this race into lean R.

Good news then that if runs it probably won't be as successful as his 2018 primary run - since back then he had all the Progressives - and that time he lost by 20 points and in every county.

The key is the field consisting of 3 or 4 people like in 2018. If we get to a clown car primary then I could see him slipping through with 20-30%. I think Nessel is someone who could limit a big flood of candidates and keep the field at a reasonable size.

[MargieCat]

If Gillibrand gets to coronate her nominee, who do we think she'd coronate?

I honestly don't think she's dumb enough to coronate Buttigieg.

I could see her coronating Haley Stevens. She seems like the type of establishment candidate that the DSCC would happily get behind.

Similar profile to Slotkin (her good friend) but with less of a Nat Sec background and a bit more of an auto-industry/labor background.

[TML]

If Gillibrand gets to coronate her nominee, who do we think she'd coronate?

I honestly don't think she's dumb enough to coronate Buttigieg.

I could see her coronating Haley Stevens. She seems like the type of establishment candidate that the DSCC would happily get behind.

Similar profile to Slotkin (her good friend) but with less of a Nat Sec background and a bit more of an auto-industry/labor background.

It should be noted that Chuck Schumer was the one who has been coronating Senate candidates in the past from 2006-2020, regardless of who was actually leading the DSCC during that time period.

[Illiniwek]

I enthusiastically endorse McMorrow!!! You can say “how will a state senator defeat ________?” But when the options are side by side and everyone gets to fully take in McMorrow the stale establishment options won’t stand a chance.

[wbrocks67]

Hillary Scholten is a dark horse and I think would be good too.

The other problem for Buttigieg, especially in a primary, is that he has zero black voter support. That is going to be a serious issue in Michigan of all places.

[Atlas Force]

https://twitter.com/MassJumbo/status/1886508346091696212

[MargieCat]

If Gillibrand gets to coronate her nominee, who do we think she'd coronate?

I honestly don't think she's dumb enough to coronate Buttigieg.

I could see her coronating Haley Stevens. She seems like the type of establishment candidate that the DSCC would happily get behind.

Similar profile to Slotkin (her good friend) but with less of a Nat Sec background and a bit more of an auto-industry/labor background.

It should be noted that Chuck Schumer was the one who has been coronating Senate candidates in the past from 2006-2020, regardless of who was actually leading the DSCC during that time period.

In that case, who do we think Schumer would coronate?

[TML]

If Gillibrand gets to coronate her nominee, who do we think she'd coronate?

I honestly don't think she's dumb enough to coronate Buttigieg.

I could see her coronating Haley Stevens. She seems like the type of establishment candidate that the DSCC would happily get behind.

Similar profile to Slotkin (her good friend) but with less of a Nat Sec background and a bit more of an auto-industry/labor background.

It should be noted that Chuck Schumer was the one who has been coronating Senate candidates in the past from 2006-2020, regardless of who was actually leading the DSCC during that time period.

In that case, who do we think Schumer would coronate?

I don’t have a specific name off the top of my head, but his past patterns indicate that he prefers candidates who will focus primarily on fundraising from big dollar donors and thus not offend said donors (this would preclude pretty much all “populist” candidates).

[Atlas Force]

I enthusiastically endorse McMorrow!!! You can say “how will a state senator defeat ________?” But when the options are side by side and everyone gets to fully take in McMorrow the stale establishment options won’t stand a chance.

Hey it wouldn’t be the first time a politician in the Midwest went straight from the State Senate to the US Senate. One of them was even elected President just four years later!

If Gillibrand gets to coronate her nominee, who do we think she'd coronate?

I honestly don't think she's dumb enough to coronate Buttigieg.

I could see her coronating Haley Stevens. She seems like the type of establishment candidate that the DSCC would happily get behind.

Similar profile to Slotkin (her good friend) but with less of a Nat Sec background and a bit more of an auto-industry/labor background.

It should be noted that Chuck Schumer was the one who has been coronating Senate candidates in the past from 2006-2020, regardless of who was actually leading the DSCC during that time period.

In that case, who do we think Schumer would coronate?

It looks like it’s gonna be McMorrow

[MargieCat]

What I've found intriguing about Scholten is how she is the only Democrat to represent Western Michigan on the congressional level.

Up until 2025, all the other Democrats were contiguous (that changed with MI-07 flipping). Scholten has an island of blue by herself.

I'm honestly not sure if that's an asset or liability.

I would think being Detroit-based would probably help in a primary. The western Michigan swing voters might not be voting in the Democratic primary.

She is Dutch, but again, not sure how many Dutch Michiganders are voting in the Democratic primary.

[Fascism Must Be Defeated]

Can someone please ELI5 why the State Senate's Majority Whip is seen as quite possibly the most viable candidate in a race where the name of almost every statewide official has been floated at one point or another? This is the Democrats' first Senate majority since 1984 and they only have a 20-18 majority so two defections on any bill could be fatal (Gilchrist breaks ties) - were there any rebels she had to sort out or has the caucus been united anyway?

Is this going to be a Bill Clinton 1992 situation where a B-tier but cult-status candidate manages to win because she is an enthusiastic, focused character in a race that none of the bona-fide A-listers are interested in?

She went viral for her vigorous response to anti-LGBT bills proposed by MI republicans a few years ago and has been seen as a rising star since; she spoke at the DNC and highlighted Project 2025.

[Mr.Bakari-Sellers]

Pete better get in, McMorrow is gonna suck up all the fundraising

[Schumer can go f*** himself!]

If Gillibrand gets to coronate her nominee, who do we think she'd coronate?

I honestly don't think she's dumb enough to coronate Buttigieg.

I could see her coronating Haley Stevens. She seems like the type of establishment candidate that the DSCC would happily get behind.

Similar profile to Slotkin (her good friend) but with less of a Nat Sec background and a bit more of an auto-industry/labor background.

It should be noted that Chuck Schumer was the one who has been coronating Senate candidates in the past from 2006-2020, regardless of who was actually leading the DSCC during that time period.

In that case, who do we think Schumer would coronate?

I don’t have a specific name off the top of my head, but his past patterns indicate that he prefers candidates who will focus primarily on fundraising from big dollar donors and thus not offend said donors (this would preclude pretty much all “populist” candidates).

This is objectively false

[Rhode Islander First, American Second]

Does McMorrow have any crossover appeal at all though? She's a hyperpartisan millennial Dem.