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.

Pete Buttigieg, 43, a former presidential candidate who's viewed as a rising star by many in Democratic politics, had been floated as a potential candidate for governor next year.

The former New York congressman has little experience in environmental policy. He is expected to follow orders to weaken climate rules.

A majority of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted to confirm former Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, who will play a key role in rolling back major Biden administration climate rules aimed at slashing emissions from vehicles,

Zeldin, 44, is from New York. He served eight years in Congress and lost a race for governor in 2022. He is expected to push deregulation.