Wild Cardin In Play

After nearly 60 years in Maryland politics and 17 years in the Senate, Maryland Democrat Sen. Ben Cardin is bowing out.

 

U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin says he won’t seek reelection next year, ending a nearly 60-year run in Maryland politics and creating a scramble to fill a rare vacancy in the closely-divided Senate.

“It’s time,” the 79-year-old Democrat told The Baltimore Sun in an interview at his Pikesville home in advance of his anticipated announcement Monday. “I always knew this election cycle would be the one I would be thinking about not running again, so it’s not something that hit me by surprise. I enjoy life. There are other things I can do.”

In his career, Cardin, whose third six-year Senate term ends in January 2025, has emphasized international human rights and assisting Baltimore and the Chesapeake Bay.

He began his political career as a member of the House of Delegates in 1967 while still a law student. Democratic U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer, 83, who represents Southern Maryland, started in the state Senate the same year, making them the state’s longest-serving elected officials.

U.S. Senate vacancies are rare, and the possibility of Cardin’s retirement has already drawn interest from a number of potential successors. Possible contenders include Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks; U.S. Rep. David Trone, who represents Frederick County and Western Maryland; Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr.; and U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Montgomery County.

Each of those four Democrats declined to comment last week in deference to Cardin, as he had not announced his 2024 plans. But none would rule out running when they or their aides were questioned by The Sun.

Democrats, who hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate, will try to hang on to control of the chamber in the 2024 elections.

Maryland, which has twice as many Democratic voters as Republicans, has not elected a Republican U.S. senator since Charles Mathias of Frederick in 1980.

 

Cardin has been serving as a Maryland elected official for almost a decade longer than I've been alive, and he's finally retiring.  There's no chance the Dems lose this seat, but Jaime Raskin would be the most notable name in the group attempting to succeed Cardin.

We'll see who runs. Whoever wins would probably have the seat for decades, so.