Gary Peters' exit creates a highly contested U.S. Senate battleground seat expected to be coveted by both major political parties.

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 suddenly open seat in a top-tier battleground has several Michigan politicians taking a serious look. By Katie Glueck and Shane Goldmacher Senator Gary Peters’s decision to retire has opened up a marquee Senate race in Michigan,