Peters, Gary (1958-…), became a United States senator in 2015. Peters, a Democrat , represents Michigan . Prior to his election to the Senate , Peters had represented a district including part of Detroit and its suburbs in the U.S. House of Representatives .
Peters was born in Pontiac, Michigan, on Dec. 1, 1958. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Alma College in 1980. He received a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Detroit in 1984 and a law degree from Wayne State University in 1989. He later received a master’s degree in philosophy from Michigan State University. Peters worked as a financial executive for more than 20 years.
Peters served on the Rochester Hills, Michigan, city council from 1991 to 1993. He served in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 1993 to 2000 and again from 2001 to 2005, when he retired as a lieutenant commander. In 1994, Peters won election to the Michigan Senate. He served in the chamber until 2002, when he lost a campaign for state attorney general . He served as the state’s lottery commissioner from 2003 to 2007. In 2007 and 2008, he taught a course in government at Central Michigan University.
Peters won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008. He was reelected in 2010 and 2012. As a congressman, Peters was a strong proponent of the federal government’s automobile industry bailout program. He also helped write legislation to reform the financial services industry.
