LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Pete Buttigieg, President Joe Biden’s current Transportation Secretary and former South Bend mayor, is toying with the idea of running for Michigan governor. Or is he? He’s been dodging the question, leaving uncertainty about his true intentions.
While the thought of Buttigieg taking up residence in Lansing might excite some Democrats in the state, the Michigan governor’s mansion isn’t an Airbnb vacation rental, and many folks are saying that governing the Wolverine State requires more than a Traverse City address and studying up to gain a knowledge of Lions trivia.
However, brushing up on the Detroit Lions might be wise, especially after he stumbled over a question about the team during a recent visit to a union hall in Monroe.
Buttigieg keeps Michiganders guessing.
Buttigieg, who is gay, is considered by most to be a part-time Michigander after moving to Michigan in 2022 to be closer to his husband’s family. He has made no official announcement on whether he’ll be running for governor of the state in 2026 to replace Gretchen Whitmer but speculation abounds that he will run. And although anonymous sources are saying that Buttigieg hasn’t ruled out the possibility of running to be Michigan’s 50th governor, he hasn’t officially ruled it in either.
Instead, he’s been dropping carefully vague comments about his future including at a Michigan event on Monday where he said, “I haven’t made any decisions, any big decisions about my future…We’ve got more projects to announce, we’ve got more policies to finalize…and then looking forward to a little bit of time with family that has been very patient with all of my work travel and then we’ll take things from there.”
From South Bend to Traverse City: is this the scenic route to governing?
In addition to being the Transportation Secretary, Buttigieg’s resume includes leading a mid-sized Indiana city and having an unsuccessful 2020 presidential campaign. Michigan, however, is not South Bend. It’s a sprawling battleground state with deeply entrenched political divides and pressing economic and social challenges that needs a competent and experienced leader.
That leads many to wonder: Does Michigan need a governor whose most relevant state-specific qualification includes the proximity to the state line as a child – and a northern lower Michigan residence that he rarely visits? That’s not exactly a rousing endorsement of his connection to the Mitten State.
Mayor Pete’s Michigan connection: as thin as a pothole patch.
Buttigieg has dedicated much of his recent political energy in Michigan to promoting federal infrastructure investments – a foundation that falls short of a compelling gubernatorial platform.
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Michigan voters, known for their keen sense of political opportunism, will expect more than surface- level engagement. To mount a serious campaign, Buttigieg will need to establish deeper ties, thoroughly understand the state’s unique challenges, and perhaps even brush up on Michigan’s beloved sports teams to truly connect with voters.
Gubernatorial aspirations or just more political posturing?
Buttigieg’s potential candidacy comes at a time when Michigan Democrats are still reeling from a Trump presidential victory as well as a soon-to-be Republican control of both the House and Senate. In Michigan, Democratic lawmakers will lose their majority in the state House come January.
With Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan eyeing an upcoming gubernatorial bid as an independent, the Democrats are desperate for a unifying candidate to rally behind. But Buttigieg might not be the savior the party needs.
Some say the last person Michigan should look to is an out-of-touch politician whose primary skill set is delivering rehearsed soundbites. Governing Michigan isn’t about pandering to union halls or citing federal spending projects critics contend – it’s about understanding the people, the culture, and the challenges unique to the state – which most likely don’t include racial equity for roads, DEI concerns and other initiatives that Buttigieg has been ridiculed over – not to mention a lackluster career as Transportation Secretary.
Under Buttigieg’s tenure, the nation experienced several issues including a supply chain crisis, train derailments and rail safety, airline delays and cancellations, infrastructure spending delays, and personal issues including his extensive parental leave at the beginning of his job and his use of government jets for some of his travel.
Who else is looking at running for governor?
Besides Duggan, other Democrats looking at running for governor of Michigan including Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson who confirmed last week that she is “certainly considering” it; Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.
On the Republican side, rumored candidates include conservative political commentator Tudor Dixon who lost to Gov. Whitmer in 2022, businessmen Perry Johnson and Kevin Rinke, former representative Tom Leonard, and GOP U.S. Rep. John James.
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