At a packed union hall outside Detroit, a worker shifts the focus of the conversation from policy to personal, asking Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg about his knowledge of Michigan, the state he only recently began calling home.

“Mayor Pete – Secretary Pete, my apologies,” a worker shouted from the crowd. “Now that you’re a Michigander, who do the Lions play on Sunday?”

Caught off guard, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, couldn’t provide an answer. While knowing the schedule of Detroit’s historically struggling but recently successful football team isn’t a requirement for statewide office, this casual moment highlights the challenge Buttigieg faces in connecting with Michigan voters. Some Democrats still hope he’ll rise to the occasion by entering the highly competitive 2026 governor’s race.

Though Buttigieg has stated both publicly and privately that he won’t make decisions about his future until after the Biden administration concludes in January, he’s already heard from Michigan Democrats urging him to run for governor, according to an anonymous source familiar with private conversations.

“I haven’t made any big decisions about my future yet. We’ve got six more weeks, and we’re going to sprint through the tape,” Buttigieg told reporters at an event south of Detroit on Monday.

Due to the nature of his official visit, Buttigieg avoided political questions during his tour, which included stops at a union hall in Dearborn and a visit to highlight $200 million in federal funding for a new bridge. However, the pressure for him to enter the governor’s race will likely grow after Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, widely seen as the leading Democratic candidate, declared plans to run as an independent.

“People are shocked, stunned, and angry. Many view this as a serious situation that could put the governor’s mansion in Republican hands and undo years of progress,” said Andrew Feldman, a Democratic strategist who has worked for the state party.

Michigan Democrats, who had been winning big in recent years with a unified progressive agenda, are now facing new challenges after significant losses in the 2024 election, including a damaging defeat in the presidential race.

President-elect Donald Trump won Michigan by an even wider margin than in 2016, and Republicans reclaimed control of the state House, ending the Democrats’ legislative dominance. In their final month with a narrow majority in both chambers, the party has struggled to pass meaningful legislation, bogged down by internal division.

Although Whitmer still has two years left in her term, Duggan’s surprise move has catalyzed the race to succeed her, leaving Democrats concerned that the mayor of Michigan’s largest city could siphon support from their candidate and hand the office to Republicans.

Buttigieg, who gained national attention during his 2020 presidential run and has since engaged with conservative audiences on behalf of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, could have the broad appeal necessary to win back disaffected voters.

“I personally want to thank you for going up, facing the Fox News crowd, listening to people’s questions and answering them. You’re one of the few politicians who does that,” one attendee told Buttigieg at the union hall on Monday, earning enthusiastic applause.

Buttigieg moved to Michigan to be closer to his husband’s family, he told The Associated Press on Monday. “I grew up a few miles from the state line, so even growing up, I was getting the news from Michigan and from both sides of the state line. And I could point to many moments over the years, some wonderful and some really tough, like when our little guy was in the intensive care in Grand Rapids.”

“But, yeah, bottom line, this is home,” Buttigieg said.

Other possible candidates aren’t ready to concede just yet. Michigan Democrats still boast one of the strongest political fields in the country, with several high-profile figures expected to enter the race soon.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson confirmed last week that she is “certainly considering” a gubernatorial bid and is actively listening to voters’ concerns as she weighs her options. She also criticized Duggan for abandoning the party instead of addressing its issues.

“For me, it’s important that in moments like this, we don’t flee from the party but stay and fix it,” Benson said during a televised interview.

Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II is also considering a run and has assembled a team to explore the possibility, though he won’t make a final decision until 2025, according to a source with direct knowledge. A 42-year-old Detroit native, Gilchrist, who is Black, could present a strong contrast to Duggan, who is 66 and white. If he runs, Gilchrist plans to engage voters frustrated with the Democratic Party’s failure to address their concerns, the source said.

There are also several dark horse candidates, including Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson. The Flint-area sheriff rose to prominence in 2020 after marching with protesters following the death of George Floyd. Swanson, who spoke at the Democratic National Convention in August, recently told the AP that he has a “team doing due diligence” about a potential run.

“When it comes to the Democratic Party in Michigan, this is a prime time for them to restructure,” Swanson said during a recent interview. “We need a platform that is not polarizing, but more unifying.”

“The entire playbook has to be evaluated and restructured to listen to the people,” he added.