U.S. Senator
Gary C. Peters
Michigan
DemocratModerate Liberal
Contact
Voting Profile
Legislative Record
Most Active Policy Areas
#1 healthcare#2 environment energy#3 other#4 defense#5 agriculture
255
Votes Analyzed
Data sources: voteview, congress.gov
Political Position
Ideology Spectrum
-0.25Moderate Liberal
Senator Gary Peters positions himself as a moderate liberal within the Democratic Party, with a NOMINATE score of -0.250 that places him closer to the center than many of his Democratic colleagues. His voting pattern suggests a pragmatic approach that occasionally diverges from party orthodoxy, particularly on defense and fiscal matters.
LiberalModerateConservative
Democrat avg
More conservative than the average Democrat (-0.38)
Data source: VoteView NOMINATE scores (UCLA/UC San Diego)
Policy Positions
Category Breakdown
255
total votes analyzed
Overview
Gary Peters has served Michigan in the U.S. Senate as a Democrat who tends toward the moderate wing of his party. His voting record shows strong support for defense-related legislation (76% yea) and banking/finance measures (70% yea), while taking more varied positions on healthcare and agricultural issues. Peters' legislative approach reflects his representation of a politically competitive state. His positions on healthcare, where he has voted on 136 measures with an even split, suggest careful consideration of diverse constituent viewpoints. His relatively high support for defense spending aligns with Michigan's significant defense manufacturing sector. The Senator's record on environmental and energy issues shows moderate support (58% yea), reflecting a balance between environmental concerns and the economic interests of a state with substantial manufacturing and automotive industries. His budget and taxation votes (71% and 75% yea respectively) indicate general support for fiscal measures that have come before the Senate during his tenure.
Key Positions
- •Strong supporter of defense and national security legislation
- •Generally supportive of banking and financial regulation measures
- •Takes measured approach on healthcare policy with mixed voting record
- •Moderate stance on environmental and energy issues
- •More conservative than average Senate Democrat on fiscal matters
By Policy Area
Healthcare136
50% yea50% nay
Environment & Energy24
58% yea42% nay
Other23
39% yea61% nay
Defense21
76% yea24% nay
Agriculture16
31% yea69% nay
Banking & Finance10
70% yea30% nay
Budget & Spending7
71% yea29% nay
Social Security7
43% yea57% nay
Analysis updated: January 9, 2026
Campaign Finance
Follow the Money
Includes all authorized campaign committees (principal committee, joint fundraising, and other authorized committees). Outside spending by Super PACs and independent groups is shown separately below. Verify on FEC.gov →
Career: $70.3M
Fundraising Over Time
Raised per election cycleSpent
Contribution Sources
Individual$5.5M
79%
PAC / Committees$1.4M
21%
Individual Breakdown
Itemized (>$200)
$3.3M
Small Dollar (<$200)
$2.3M
Donation Sizes
Under $200
$14K · 74%
$200 – 499
$500 · 3%
$500 – 999
$3K · 13%
$1,000 – 1,999
$2K · 10%
$2,000+
$0 · 0%
Share of individual contribution dollars by donation size, current election cycle.
Where the Money Comes From
In-state (MI)$5K · 38%
Out-of-state$9K · 62%
Itemized individual contributions only (donations over $200 report the donor's state). Small-dollar donations are not included because the FEC does not itemize them.
MI
$5K
NY
$2K
DC
$2K
CA
$1K
TX
$640
VA
$567.5
MD
$380.83
MA
$226.61
Top Contributors
Top Contributing Industries
Top Donor Employers
NOT EMPLOYED$6K
PRESIDENT$1K
BGR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, LLC$1K
NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION$1K
CLEARY GOTTLIEB$1K
SELF EMPLOYED$925
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS$500
POTOMAC STRATEGIC$500
MANGO LANGUAGES$120
OAKLAND UNIVERSITY$110
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN$105
ARJUNA CAPITAL$100
Employer as self-reported by itemized donors. “Not Employed” and “Self-Employed” typically rank highest for small-dollar campaigns and include retirees.
Where the Money Goes
Spending by Purpose
Refunds
$600K
Other / Uncategorized
$172K
Advertising
$49K
Materials
$4K
Fundraising
$1K
Administrative
$816.01
Travel
$40
Purpose categories are self-reported on FEC filings; large “Other” totals are common.
Top Payees
1.$99K
AMERICAN EXPRESS
2.$36K
DIXON/DAVIS MEDIA GROUP
3.$28K
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
4.$21K
MBA CONSULTING GROUP
5.$13K
ANNE LEWIS STRATEGIES, LLC
6.$11K
FULKERSON, KENNEDY & COMPANY
7.$7K
MACKINAC ISLAND TOURISM BUREAU PAC
8.$6K
AMALGAMATED BANK
Detailed Breakdown
Expenditures
Operating Costs
$2.3M
Operating Offsets
$95K
Net Operating
$2.2M
Refunds
Individual Refunds
$481K
Committee Refunds
$236K
Outside Spending (Super PACs)
Supporting
$11.4M
Opposing
$85.8M
Total Outside Spending
$97.2M
Top Outside Spenders
01
$34.9MSENATE LEADERSHIP FUND
-$34.9M
02
$21.2MBETTER FUTURE MI FUND
-$21.2M
03
$15.7MNRSC
+$1.2M-$14.5M
04
$7.6MENDING SPENDING ACTION FUND
-$7.6M
05
$4.3MRESTORATION PAC
-$4.3M
06
$3.2MBLACK PAC
+$3.2M
07
$1.8MB-PAC
-$1.8M
08
$1.6MLEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS INC
+$1.6M
Independent expenditures are made without coordination with the candidate. Source: FEC Schedule E filings.
Coverage: 1/1/2021 – 6/30/2026FEC: S4MI00355Updated: 8/12/2026Source: FEC.gov (all authorized committees)
Voting Record
Congressional Votes
195 votes across 13 categories