Gary C. Peters
Democrat junior Senator of Michigan
Representative
Michigan, district 9
January 6, 2009 - January 3, 2011
Representative
Michigan, district 9
January 5, 2011 - January 3, 2013
Representative
Michigan, district 14
January 3, 2013 - January 3, 2015
Senator
Michigan
January 6, 2015 - January 3, 2021
Senator
Michigan
January 3, 2021 - January 3, 2027
8
Congresses Served
3
House Terms
2
Senate Terms
January 1, 1958 (66 years old)
Birthday
- American lawyer, politician, and former military officer
- Served as the junior United States senator since 2015
- Previously served as the U.S. representative for Michigan’s 14th congressional district from 2009 to 2015
- Served in the United States Navy Reserve and spent 22 years as an investment advisor
- Worked briefly in academia and was elected to the Rochester Hills City Council in 1991
- Represented the 14th district in the Michigan Senate from 1995 to 2002
- Was the Democratic nominee for Michigan Attorney General in 2002 but narrowly lost
- Appointed commissioner of the Michigan Lottery by Governor Jennifer Granholm, serving from 2003 to 2008
- Elected to the United States Senate in 2014, defeating Republican Terri Lynn Land
- Reelected in 2020, defeating Republican challenger John E. James
- Selected as chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for the 2022 and 2024 election cycles
- Will become Michigan’s senior senator when Debbie Stabenow retires in January 2025
- Graduated magna cum laude from Alma College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science
- Holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Detroit, a Juris Doctor and a Master of Arts in political science from Wayne State University, and a Master of Arts in philosophy from Michigan State University
- Earned a diploma from the College of Naval Command and Staff, U.S. Naval War College
- Served more than ten years in the Navy Reserve, earning the Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist designation
- Worked as a financial advisor and taught finance at Wayne State and strategic management and business policy courses at Oakland University
- Served on arbitration panels for the New York Stock Exchange and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
- Played a key role in obtaining debt forgiveness for Chrysler and opposed plans to provide disaster relief aid from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loan program
- Supported the Recovery Act, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and other significant legislation
- Ranked as the 17th most bipartisan member of the U.S. Senate during the 115th U.S. Congress
- Supports abortion rights and has voiced opposition to a Michigan law prohibiting insurers from offering abortion coverage as a standard feature in health plans
- Cosponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act and supported legislation to increase the federal government’s ability to prevent foreign purchases of U.S. firms
- Is a gun owner with a changing rating from the National Rifle Association of America over time
- Voted for the Affordable Care Act and supported a Medicare public option
- Voted against providing COVID-19 pandemic financial support to undocumented immigrants
- Married with three children and resides in Bloomfield Township, Michigan
- Financial assets were between $1.7 million and $6.3 million at the end of 2014
- Received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award in 2019 and is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution
- An avid motorcyclist and Episcopalian, emphasizing the importance of spirituality in his life