Gary Peters

Gary Peters

Gary Charles Peters Sr. is an American politician serving as the junior United States Senator from Michigan since 2015. He was the U.S. Representative for Michigan’s 14th congressional district, which includes the eastern half of Detroit, the Grosse Pointes, Hamtramck, Southfield, and Pontiac, from 2013 to 2015. Peters served in the United States Navy Reserve, spent 22 years as an investment advisor, and worked briefly in academia.

About Gary Peters in brief

Summary Gary PetersGary Charles Peters Sr. is an American politician serving as the junior United States Senator from Michigan since 2015. He was the U.S. Representative for Michigan’s 14th congressional district, which includes the eastern half of Detroit, the Grosse Pointes, Hamtramck, Southfield, and Pontiac, from 2013 to 2015. Peters served in the United States Navy Reserve, spent 22 years as an investment advisor, and worked briefly in academia. Peters was elected to the Rochester Hills City Council in 1991 and represented the 14th district in the Michigan Senate from 1995 to 2002. He served as Commissioner of the Michigan Lottery from 2003 to 2008, when he resigned to successfully run for Congress. In 2014, Peters was unopposed in the Democratic primary and defeated Republican Terri Lynn Land in the general election. Peters is the son of Madeleine A. and Herbert Garrett Peters, a historian and statistician. He graduated from Rochester High School in 1976 and Alma College in 1980. He earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Detroit in 1984. Peters also holds a Juris Doctor from Wayne State University and aMaster of Arts in philosophy from Michigan State University. He is a member of the Democratic Party and was chosen by his party to chair his party’s party’s caucus for the Michigan State House of Representatives. In his final year as a state Senate member, he was a candidate for Michigan Attorney General for governor and later as a governor candidate for governor. He has served as the vice chairman of the state Senate Finance, Education, and Mental Health and Human Services Committee.

In 2010, Peters sponsored a bill which banned any new wells under the Great Lakes except in case of a state energy emergency. The bill passed into law without the signature of Governor John Engler and was later signed into law by Engler. Peters has been married to his wife, Susan, since 2008. He also has a son, Gary Peters Jr., who was born in 1958. He lives in Rochester Hills, Michigan with his wife and three children. He previously served as a financial advisor and served as an assistant vice president at Merrill Lynch from 1980 until 1989. Peters worked for 22 years at Paine Webber as a vice president. Peters joined the United. States Navy reserve in 1993 at age 34. He spent more than 10 years in units at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, including Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 26. Peters’s reserve duty included time in the Persian Gulf supporting Operation Southern Watch; he served overseas again during increased military activity following the September 11 attacks. He left the Reserve in 2008; his awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal. Peters announced his candidacy for Congress two months after being hired. Peters was narrowly reelected to a second term in 2020, defeating Republican challenger John E. James. Peters’ district includes nearly every racial, ethnic, and religious group in Michigan. The 14th District is one of the most diverse state Senate districts. It includes Oakland County, Bloomfield Hills, Pontiac and Southfield.