Sen. Ben Cardin has traveled to various parts of the state in recent weeks on a farewell tour and delivered his final speech on the Senate floor, but one of Maryland’s top senators made one thing clear: It’s not a farewell, it’s a farewell for now.
The Maryland Democrat has yet to decide what his next steps are, but even after 58 years in elected office, Cardin says his time in politics is far from over.
“It’s been a long journey, and I’ve been very lucky,” Cardin said in a recent interview. “I’m proud of what I’ve been able to achieve. It’s been 18 elections, and people have really trusted me.”
Born in Baltimore on October 5, 1943, Cardin attended the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Maryland School of Law, but got into politics early. He won election to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1966 while still in law school, at the age of 23. He served in the Maryland House of Representatives for the next 20 years, the last eight as Speaker of the House, which he sees as the highlight of his career.
“I think my years as a speaker were very influential for me,” Carden said.
“Speaker, you have been chosen by your colleagues. It is because they know you best. It is not only an honor, but also an opportunity,” he said. “The Speaker of the House can really do a lot.”
He was elected to represent Maryland’s 3rd District in Congress in 1986, filling the seat vacated by another Maryland political icon, Barbara Mycoskie, when she became Maryland’s first female senator. In 2006, he was elected to fill the seat of retiring Senator Paul Sarbanes, who resigned after 30 years in the Senate.
There he served as chairman of the Small Business Committee and was promoted last year to chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee after its then-chairman, Sen. Robert Menendez, was forced to step down in the face of federal indictment on bribery charges.
Cardin — who counts the passage of the Magnitsky Act, which allows the United States to impose financial and travel sanctions on foreign officials, as one of his major accomplishments — counts his time as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee as another accomplishment in his career.
“Being a member of the US Senate…is the most unique institution in the world,” he said. “And to be part of the Senate family is truly unique.”
During his 58 years as an elected official, Cardin has waded into nearly every policy topic, from crafting a bipartisan bill to expand retirement programs, to pushing children’s dental care for federal health care programs, and advocating for the health of the Chesapeake Bay, among others. .
But in May 2023, Carden announced that he had no intention of doing so Seeking re-election.
“I’m proud of what I’ve been able to achieve. It’s been 18 elections, and people have really trusted me.”
His departure is bittersweet for Democrats. On the one hand, by stepping down he helped make room for Maryland’s first black U.S. senator, former Prince George’s County executive Angela Alsobrooks, a Democrat who beat former Gov. Larry Hogan to the position in November.
On the other hand, 2025 will see the arrival of a second Donald Trump administration, and Cardin fears the political climate will be more divided than ever.
“We have a very divided nation. I hope the Trump administration realizes that, and I hope they try to bring our nation together,” he added.
While he is making his way out of public service for now, he wants to convey to Marylanders and the state’s political leaders that people “must listen” to others in order to make progress.
“It’s very important, when you listen to each other, and get everyone at the table, you’re going to get better results. You can get better solutions. Solutions that will last for a longer period of time, rather than change every couple of years,” Cardin said.
As for what comes next, he is not completely sure what retirement from public service will look like, but he confirms that he will remain part of the political field in one way or another, and he may return to the matters he focused on as an elected representative. Responsible such as foreign affairs, civic engagement, or environmental action.
His final full year as a congressman was also a farewell tour. In August, he hosted his last town hall as a U.S. senator at the Maryland Association of Counties convention in Ocean City, where Mayor Richard Meehan presented him with a key to the city for his environmental work in the area.
He spent November and December traveling to different areas of the state to thank advocates and local officials for their work throughout his nearly 60 years of service.
“It’s an opportunity for me to thank my partners. This has been a real team effort,” he said. “And local officials, in particular, have worked seamlessly to try to get things done for our constituents.”
One of his recent victories was helping secure 100% federal funding to replace the fallen Francis Scott Key Bridge, an effort that took until the early morning hours of December 21, in one of the last votes of the current Senate.
On December 10, Cardin delivered his final speech to the Senate.
He said: “I came to the hall today to say goodbye, despite the difficulty of it.” “Marylanders have trusted me to represent them for 20 years in the General Assembly, eight years as Speaker of the House, 20 years in the House, and 18 years in the U.S. Senate, including now chairing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.” .
He said: “Of course, the work of a legislator is not easy. It requires perseverance, patience, a sense of humor and optimism.” “This can make the world a better place, even in the face of often daunting and seemingly insurmountable challenges.”
