(CBS DETROIT) - Aric Nesbitt has announced his campaign for Michigan governor, entering a 2026 race that is expected to be competitive as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ends her time in that office.

MICHIGAN — Michigan voters will choose a new governor in November 2026. Current Governor Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited after serving back-to-back four year stints in Lansing. We are keeping track of candidates who throw their hats in the ring below.

State Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt joins The Pulse to discuss entering the race for governor. His message to Michiganders and the changes he’d like to see made in the state.

After Sen. Gary Peters' surprise announcement, Michigan Republicans are hoping for their first Senate win in the 21st century.

Democratic Sen. Gary Peters won’t run for re-election in Michigan in 2026, creating a pivotal open Senate seat in one of the most tightly divided battleground states in the U.S.

Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, who led the Democrats’ Senate campaign efforts the past two election cycles, has announced he will not seek a third term in 2026, creating a highly contested battleground seat expected to be coveted by both major political parties.

On the biennial National Assessment of Educational Progress, Michigan fourth and eighth grade students’ average reading scores were lower than in 2022, the last time the test was administered. Math scores were up for fourth graders in Michigan but fell among eighth graders. The changes weren’t considered statistically significant.

Few candidates have officially announced their runs for governor, but now many of the rumored contenders may explore the open Senate seat.

Democratic Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan announced Tuesday that he will not seek reelection in 2026, leaving Congress at the end of his second term and opening up a highly competitive battleground Senate seat.

It's no secret that change is sweeping through Michigan’s political landscape in a way that stirs conversation at every gathering. Second-term U.S. Sen. Gary Peters announced Tuesday that he will not run for reelection in the 2026 midterm election.

They will need to defend an open seat in a battleground state that President Trump carried in 2024. And Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ruled out a run.

Questions remained Tuesday about which programs would be covered by the federal funding pause announced Monday and which would not.