Gary Peters Faces Challenge Defending Tough Senate Map for Dems, Plans to 'Work and Ride Motorcycles' Afterwards
Imagine him enthusiastically supporting you from the sidelines of your T-ball game.
TroibNews 
AUBURN HILLS, Michigan — Gary Peters is feeling the pressure. The Michigan Democrat responsible for navigating a challenging Senate map this election year admitted that his stress levels were high enough that he had just met with his therapist.
“Dr. Davidson,” Peters noted during a recent lunch at a local Mexican restaurant. “Dr. Harley Davidson,” he added, delivering the line with a humor reminiscent of the dry tortilla chips in front of him.
As chair of the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm, Peters finds himself at a critical juncture. Having successfully helped the party maintain seats in Arizona and Nevada—along with the chamber majority—in 2022, he is now tasked with defending 23 Senate seats, including those of vulnerable Democrats like Sen. Jon Tester in Montana and Sen. Sherrod Brown in Ohio. Additionally, he is targeting longshot opportunities in Florida and Texas, where he has recently made strategic moves against Sens. Rick Scott and Ted Cruz.
Can this unassuming Michigander, who prefers riding his motorcycle and working on legislative issues to being in the limelight, navigate the cutthroat political landscape of the Trump era? And can he aid Democrats in retaining control of the Senate come November?
“When you think of the incentive structure right now to get your name out, it’s about people who want to throw rocks and create controversy,” Peters remarked, reflecting on his recent 800-mile motorcycle ride around Michigan to connect with constituents on his Harley Davidson Pan America. “People who work and toil away to pass common sense, good, bipartisan legislation that actually helps people's lives? That doesn't get press.”
Critics often label Peters as dull—or worse, naive. In August, he even required a reporter to explain the origins of Tim Walz’s baseless joke about JD Vance, leaving an aide nearby visibly embarrassed as she picked at her meal.
Peters is so relatively unknown on the national stage that at one point, the National Republican Senatorial Committee's political and communications division mocked him as "Jerry." He was granted a speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which amounted to a mere three minutes and two seconds.
“You can picture him cheering you on outside of your T-ball game the same way he cheers on adults running for Senate,” said Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who first encountered Peters at a fundraiser where he enthusiastically encouraged her to pursue her current legislative position.
Nevertheless, in a year defined for Democrats by strong paternal figures, Peters may embody that ethos more than anyone else. A former Eagle Scout and father of three, he spent time as a financial advisor, helping parents manage college savings plans. Now, he organizes friendly competitions among Democratic senators for fundraising calls, rewarding winners with baskets filled with wine, cheese, cookies, and crackers.
“It's the smallest, silliest thing you could possibly imagine,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who has supported him in his chair duties this cycle and is eyeing a potential run for his position. “But it works on people like me, who was like the number one Girl Scout Cookie seller when I was 10 years old.”
Before Vice President Harris chose Walz as her running mate, Peters was considered by some Michigan Democrats as a potential candidate alongside his former seatmate in the Senate, sharing moments where they sampled Michigan whiskey on his balcony. “To this day I don’t know if she really likes it,” he remarked.
Peters' background has parallels with Tim Walz's story. A former lieutenant commander in the Navy Reserve, his mother survived Nazi-occupied France and later contributed to labor organization efforts, serving as an SEIU union steward. Peters has since secured victories in five House and Senate races, successfully overcoming $40 million in outside GOP spending against him in 2020.
His popularity in Michigan was evident as he outperformed Biden by two or more points in the Detroit suburbs and surrounding counties, making him the first senator from the upper Midwest to lead the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee since Nebraska’s Bob Kerrey in the 1990s.
That experience has given him insight into “red and purple places,” according to Gillibrand.
Peters has personally faced one of the election's pivotal issues, becoming the first senator to share his family’s abortion story during his 2020 campaign.
“It’s still powerful,” Peters asserted regarding the significance of the issue. “If you talk about Donald Trump, the reason we are where we are with the Dobbs decision and overturning Roe v. Wade was because of Donald Trump. He bears all the responsibility for it. He put those members on the Supreme Court. It was part of their litmus test. It was a plan to overturn it.”
Yet, Peters was always seen as a longshot. Although Harris reached out just hours after news broke about Biden’s campaign suspension, he ultimately was not selected.
“I don't want to get into any of that,” he responded. “I just want to respect her process.”
Currently, Peters is strategically deciding which Senate races to support, akin to a financial planner selecting mutual funds.
“He's a guy who doesn't get a lot of limelight, doesn't do all the cable news and stuff, but he's built a team at the Senatorial Committee and helped raise the resources to get the job done,” said Jeff Timmer, a senior advisor to the Lincoln Project and a former executive director of the Michigan Republican Party.
Regarding recent investments in Senate races in Texas and Florida, which some might interpret as indications that Ohio and Montana are slipping, Peters stated, “not at all,” praising the “quality” of his candidates and expressing optimism about the potential for offensive opportunities.
“I feel very comfortable making investments now in both Texas and Florida,” Peters noted. “If you look at the polling, candidates are in the margin of error, and at the high end of margin of error, we've got some public polls where Colin Allred is ahead, for example. But just look at the dynamics happening in those states, I feel very good about where we are. The abortion issue is playing big in both states, particularly Florida, with the referendum that's on the ballot.”
In Ohio, where Sherrod Brown faces competition from car dealer Bernie Moreno, Peters maintains optimism. “We always anticipated these would be close races, and they are, and the numbers are where we anticipated them to be, and we're just executing our plan,” Peters indicated.
As for his home state of Michigan, where surveys show Harris leading Trump—yet still within the margin of error—Rep. Elissa Slotkin has cautioned donors that Harris is "underwater." Peters reacted to that news with a more grounded perspective.
“We know Michigan will be a close race,” he acknowledged. “This is a battleground state, so it's going to be close, and we just got to keep executing our plan and run through the tape.”
If Peters successfully defends the Senate, despite the challenges he faces, he will step down from his campaign role feeling accomplished, stating, “I just put my head down and work and ride motorcycles.”
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
“Dr. Davidson,” Peters noted during a recent lunch at a local Mexican restaurant. “Dr. Harley Davidson,” he added, delivering the line with a humor reminiscent of the dry tortilla chips in front of him.
As chair of the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm, Peters finds himself at a critical juncture. Having successfully helped the party maintain seats in Arizona and Nevada—along with the chamber majority—in 2022, he is now tasked with defending 23 Senate seats, including those of vulnerable Democrats like Sen. Jon Tester in Montana and Sen. Sherrod Brown in Ohio. Additionally, he is targeting longshot opportunities in Florida and Texas, where he has recently made strategic moves against Sens. Rick Scott and Ted Cruz.
Can this unassuming Michigander, who prefers riding his motorcycle and working on legislative issues to being in the limelight, navigate the cutthroat political landscape of the Trump era? And can he aid Democrats in retaining control of the Senate come November?
“When you think of the incentive structure right now to get your name out, it’s about people who want to throw rocks and create controversy,” Peters remarked, reflecting on his recent 800-mile motorcycle ride around Michigan to connect with constituents on his Harley Davidson Pan America. “People who work and toil away to pass common sense, good, bipartisan legislation that actually helps people's lives? That doesn't get press.”
Critics often label Peters as dull—or worse, naive. In August, he even required a reporter to explain the origins of Tim Walz’s baseless joke about JD Vance, leaving an aide nearby visibly embarrassed as she picked at her meal.
Peters is so relatively unknown on the national stage that at one point, the National Republican Senatorial Committee's political and communications division mocked him as "Jerry." He was granted a speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which amounted to a mere three minutes and two seconds.
“You can picture him cheering you on outside of your T-ball game the same way he cheers on adults running for Senate,” said Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who first encountered Peters at a fundraiser where he enthusiastically encouraged her to pursue her current legislative position.
Nevertheless, in a year defined for Democrats by strong paternal figures, Peters may embody that ethos more than anyone else. A former Eagle Scout and father of three, he spent time as a financial advisor, helping parents manage college savings plans. Now, he organizes friendly competitions among Democratic senators for fundraising calls, rewarding winners with baskets filled with wine, cheese, cookies, and crackers.
“It's the smallest, silliest thing you could possibly imagine,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who has supported him in his chair duties this cycle and is eyeing a potential run for his position. “But it works on people like me, who was like the number one Girl Scout Cookie seller when I was 10 years old.”
Before Vice President Harris chose Walz as her running mate, Peters was considered by some Michigan Democrats as a potential candidate alongside his former seatmate in the Senate, sharing moments where they sampled Michigan whiskey on his balcony. “To this day I don’t know if she really likes it,” he remarked.
Peters' background has parallels with Tim Walz's story. A former lieutenant commander in the Navy Reserve, his mother survived Nazi-occupied France and later contributed to labor organization efforts, serving as an SEIU union steward. Peters has since secured victories in five House and Senate races, successfully overcoming $40 million in outside GOP spending against him in 2020.
His popularity in Michigan was evident as he outperformed Biden by two or more points in the Detroit suburbs and surrounding counties, making him the first senator from the upper Midwest to lead the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee since Nebraska’s Bob Kerrey in the 1990s.
That experience has given him insight into “red and purple places,” according to Gillibrand.
Peters has personally faced one of the election's pivotal issues, becoming the first senator to share his family’s abortion story during his 2020 campaign.
“It’s still powerful,” Peters asserted regarding the significance of the issue. “If you talk about Donald Trump, the reason we are where we are with the Dobbs decision and overturning Roe v. Wade was because of Donald Trump. He bears all the responsibility for it. He put those members on the Supreme Court. It was part of their litmus test. It was a plan to overturn it.”
Yet, Peters was always seen as a longshot. Although Harris reached out just hours after news broke about Biden’s campaign suspension, he ultimately was not selected.
“I don't want to get into any of that,” he responded. “I just want to respect her process.”
Currently, Peters is strategically deciding which Senate races to support, akin to a financial planner selecting mutual funds.
“He's a guy who doesn't get a lot of limelight, doesn't do all the cable news and stuff, but he's built a team at the Senatorial Committee and helped raise the resources to get the job done,” said Jeff Timmer, a senior advisor to the Lincoln Project and a former executive director of the Michigan Republican Party.
Regarding recent investments in Senate races in Texas and Florida, which some might interpret as indications that Ohio and Montana are slipping, Peters stated, “not at all,” praising the “quality” of his candidates and expressing optimism about the potential for offensive opportunities.
“I feel very comfortable making investments now in both Texas and Florida,” Peters noted. “If you look at the polling, candidates are in the margin of error, and at the high end of margin of error, we've got some public polls where Colin Allred is ahead, for example. But just look at the dynamics happening in those states, I feel very good about where we are. The abortion issue is playing big in both states, particularly Florida, with the referendum that's on the ballot.”
In Ohio, where Sherrod Brown faces competition from car dealer Bernie Moreno, Peters maintains optimism. “We always anticipated these would be close races, and they are, and the numbers are where we anticipated them to be, and we're just executing our plan,” Peters indicated.
As for his home state of Michigan, where surveys show Harris leading Trump—yet still within the margin of error—Rep. Elissa Slotkin has cautioned donors that Harris is "underwater." Peters reacted to that news with a more grounded perspective.
“We know Michigan will be a close race,” he acknowledged. “This is a battleground state, so it's going to be close, and we just got to keep executing our plan and run through the tape.”
If Peters successfully defends the Senate, despite the challenges he faces, he will step down from his campaign role feeling accomplished, stating, “I just put my head down and work and ride motorcycles.”
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
