Sen. Ben Cardin has been on his farewell tour in recent weeks, visiting various parts of the state and delivering his final speech on the Senate floor, but Maryland’s senior senator is making one thing clear.
The Maryland Democratic Party has not yet decided its next steps, but even after 58 years in elected office, Cardin says his time in politics is not over.
“It’s been a long journey, but I’ve been very lucky,” Cardin said in a recent interview. “I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish. It’s been 18 elections, but people really believed in me.”
Born in Baltimore on October 5, 1943, Cardin attended the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Maryland School of Law, but entered politics early. In 1966, while in law school, he was elected to the Maryland State Representative at the age of 23. He went on to serve in the Maryland House of Representatives for 20 years, the last eight of which were as Speaker of the House. Highlights of his career.
“I think those years as chair really had a big impact on me,” Cardan said.
“Mr. Speaker, you were elected by your colleagues because they know you best. It’s not only an honor, it’s an opportunity,” he said. “Speakers can do so many things.”
He was elected to represent Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District in 1986, a seat vacated when another Maryland political icon, Barbara Micuske, became Maryland’s first female senator. He took over the seat that became . He was elected in 2006 to replace Senator Paul Sarbanes, who retired after 30 years in the Senate.
There, he served as chairman of the Small Business Committee, after then-chairman Sen. Robert Menendez was forced to resign last year after he was indicted by the federal government on bribery charges. He was promoted to chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Cardin credits the passage of the Magnitsky Act, which allowed the United States to impose financial and travel sanctions on foreign officials, as one of his major accomplishments, but his time as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee was another. I consider it the highlight of my career.
“The United States Senate is the most unique institution in the world,” he said. “And it’s really unique to be part of that Senate family.”
In his 58 years as an elected official, Cardan has done nearly everything from drafting bipartisan legislation to expand retirement benefits to promoting children’s dental care in federal health programs to championing the health of the Chesapeake Bay. We have delved into all political topics. .
However, in May 2023, Mr. Cardin announced that he would not seek re-election.
“I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish. It’s been 18 elections, but people really believed in me.”
His departure is bittersweet for Democrats. However, his resignation makes way for former Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D), Maryland’s first black female U.S. senator, who defeated former Gov. Larry Hogan in November. contributed to giving way.
However, with the second Donald Trump administration taking office in 2025, Cardan worries that the political atmosphere will be more divided than ever.
“Our country is very divided, and I hope the Trump administration recognizes that and tries to bring the country together,” he said.
As he steps back from public office for the time being, he wants to send a message to both Marylanders and the state’s political leaders that people “must listen” to others in order to move forward. .
“Very importantly, if we listen to each other and bring everyone to the table, we’ll get better results. We’ll get better solutions. Why not change it every two years? It’s a much longer lasting solution,” Cardan said.
As for what’s next, I’m not sure what my retirement from public life will look like, but I can assure you that I will continue to be involved in the political realm in some way, and that I will continue to focus on it as an elected official. He said there was a possibility he would return. Officials in foreign affairs, civic affairs, environmental affairs, etc.
His final full year as a lawmaker also served as a farewell tour. In August, he hosted his final town hall as a U.S. senator at the Maryland County Conference in Ocean City, where he was honored by Mayor Richard Meehan with the City Key Award in recognition of his environmental work in the area. was awarded.
He spent November and December visiting various parts of the state, thanking local advocates and officials for their hard work during his nearly 60 years of service.
“This is an opportunity for me to express my gratitude to my partners. This was a true team effort,” he said. “And local officials, especially us, have worked seamlessly together to get things done for our constituents.”
One of his final victories was helping secure 100% federal funding to replace the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge, an effort that passed in one of the last votes of the current Senate. It took until early morning on the 21st of May.
On December 10, Mr. Cardin gave his final speech on the Senate floor.
“I came to the chamber today to say goodbye, which may be difficult,” he said. “The people of Maryland have trusted me to represent them for 20 years in Congress, eight years as Speaker of the House, 20 years in the House of Representatives, and now 18 years in the Senate, including as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Thank you.
“Of course, the job of a legislator is not easy. It requires perseverance, perseverance, a sense of humor and optimism,” he says. “It can make the world a better place, even in the face of challenges that often seem terrifying and insurmountable.”
