Pete Buttigieg is considering a Senate run in Michigan next year.
"I’ve been looking at it," he admitted in an interview. He mentioned the race to replace Sen. Gary Peters, who won’t seek re-election in 2026.
"I’m going to continue to work on the things that I care about," Buttigieg said on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."
He added, "I have not decided what that means professionally, whether that means running for office soon or not. But I will make myself useful."
A source told Fox News that Buttigieg met last week with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. The meeting signals his serious interest in the Michigan race.
At 43, Buttigieg has a unique résumé. A former naval intelligence officer, he served in Afghanistan and spent eight years as mayor of South Bend, Indiana.
His 2020 presidential campaign started as a long shot. But he gained momentum, winning the Iowa caucuses and finishing close behind Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire. Eventually, he dropped out and endorsed Joe Biden.
As Biden’s transportation secretary, he remained a rising Democratic star. He’s kept his name in the mix, saying in December, "I will find ways to make myself useful, and maybe that's running for office, and maybe that's not."
A source confirmed Buttigieg is "taking a serious look" at the Senate race. He and his husband, Chasten, moved to Michigan after the 2020 election and now live in Traverse City.