In a packed union hall outside Detroit, a worker shifts the conversation from policy to the personal, quizzing Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on his knowledge of Michigan, the state he only recently started calling home.

With only several weeks left in his term as transportation secretary, many have speculated on Pete Buttigieg's next move.

Though Pete Buttigieg has publicly and privately stated that he won’t make any decisions about his future until after the Biden administration ends on Jan. 20, he has already fielded calls from Michigan Democrats urging him to enter the 2026 race.

Some Michigan Democrats, smarting after significant setbacks in November, are hoping Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will enter the 2026 gubernatorial race when his White House role ends next month.