Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has over 40 days remaining as a member of the Biden administration. Despite his time as transportation secretary ending, many are convinced Buttigieg has a bright political future. With his residential move from Indiana to Michigan after his failed 2020 presidential campaign, there are those who believe the former naval officer and mayor of South Bend, Indiana, once known as “Mayor Pete,” could be the Great Lakes State’s next Democratic governor. 

However, there is plenty of time before Michigan’s next gubernatorial election. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) has two years left of her second term. Whitmer won both of her elections by significant margins and remains popular in the state. Due to state laws, however, she cannot run for another term, and there will be a new Democratic candidate for governor in the 2026 election.