The file

Gary Peters

Democratic · U.S. Senator, Michigan · Michigan · Spectrum score -37

Senate · 2026 ballot ·

Gary Peters is U.S. Senator, Michigan in Michigan. Political positions and ideology score -37 (Left). Peters is the one the DSCC cannot lose quietly.

College: Alma College, B.A. 1980 · University of Detroit Mercy, M.B.A. 1984 · Wayne State University Law School, J.D. 1989 · Michigan State University, M.A. 2007
Spouse: Colleen Ochoa Peters (m. 2016). Previously a prior marriage (div.)
Children: Three; three stepchildren
Résumé: U.S. Senator · Michigan · 2015–
U.S. Representative · Michigan · 2009–2015
Michigan Lottery commissioner / Navy Reserve · 1990s–2008

Net worth: $4.2M
Salary: $174,000
Before office: $1.0M
2026 raised: $22.0M
Years in office: 17

Where Gary stands on the spectrum

Gary Peters scores -37 on Spectrum’s left–right line (left), left of center on the economy and progressive on social issues. The number is modeled from twelve issue positions and the public record — not a poll and not a party label.

Composite -37 · Left · economic -53 · social -44 · authoritarian -20

Confidence 94. How we calculate scores →

Background & record

Peters is the one the DSCC cannot lose quietly. The file is a Michigan Democrat whose 2026 will be nationalized whether he is exciting or not, auto-and-union money, and a low profile that was a strategy until the map moved.

Finances

Modeled midpoints from public disclosures — not an audit of any household.

Net worth

$4.2M

+320% since taking office

Senate disclosure midpoint, 2024

Before office$1.0M

Now$4.2M

Navy Reserve, investments, a Michigan professional household. 2026 is the map-watch. DSCC chair alumni network still attached.

Money in · 2026 cycle

Raised: $22.0M
Cash on hand: $9.0M

Top industries

Unions
Auto
Lawyers
Small-dollar

Stock holdings

Index / retirement funds

Michigan professional. Funds. 2026 is the campaign, not the ticker.

Disclosure midpoint, 2024–25 · STOCK Act ranges, not an audit

VTI
Vanguard Total Stock Market
Joint
$250K–$1.0M
VXUS
Vanguard Total International
Joint
$75K–$300K

Ticker	Name	Owner	Range
VTI	Vanguard Total Stock Market	Joint	$250K–$1.0M
VXUS	Vanguard Total International	Joint	$75K–$300K

Sum of ranges $325K–$1.3M · midpoint $813K

X sentiment

Last 7 days

Odds

Polymarket · Kalshi

Implied probability from open contracts. Real money, not a poll. Updates while you sit here.

Live wire

Live · checked just now

New articles land here as they publish. Checking about every 12 seconds.

Conflicts

DSCC alumni as a permanent call-time obligation.
Auto-state money vs a 2026 in a Trump Michigan.

Issue detail

−100 left pole · +100 right pole

Economic: -53
Social: -44
Authoritarian: -20
Confidence: 94

Taxes & spending-50
Higher taxes on high earners, larger public budget
Health care-60
Public or single-payer coverage as a right
Climate & energy-56
Aggressive climate rules and fossil-fuel phase-down
Business regulation-48
Stronger antitrust, labor, and consumer rules
Labor & wages-54
Unions, higher minimum wage, worker power
Immigration-40
A broader legal path, less interior enforcement
Abortion-72
Legal access, opposed to bans
Guns-54
Licensing, assault-weapon limits, red-flag laws
Crime & policing-16
Reform, diversion, less incarceration
Schools & speech-48
Public-school investment, DEI frameworks
Defense & alliances-14
Diplomacy-first, smaller overseas footprint
Civil liberties-28
Privacy, speech, limits on surveillance and bans

Legislative first dimension (NOMINATE-like): -0.24

Compass

Auth · leftAuth · rightLib · leftLib · rightAuthoritarianLibertarianEconomic leftEconomic right

Sources

DW-NOMINATE
Wealth and fundraising are modeled midpoints from public disclosures — not an audit.
College, family, and résumé are public-record facts, not a campaign bio.