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Sen. Ben Cardin traveled to different parts of the state in recent weeks on a farewell tour and gave his last speech on the Senate floor, but Maryland’s senior senator makes one thing clear: It’s not goodbye, just goodbye for now.
The Maryland Democrat hasn’t determined yet what his next steps will be but even after 58 years in elected office, Cardin says his time in politics is not over.
“It’s been a long journey, I’ve been very fortunate,” Cardin said in a recent interview. “I’m proud of what I’ve been able to get accomplished. It was 18 elections — people really trusted me.”
Born in Baltimore on Oct. 5, 1943, Cardin attended the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Maryland School of Law, but got his start in politics early. He won election to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1966 while still in law school, at age 23. He would serve in the Maryland House for the next 20 years, the last eight of which as the Speaker of the House, which he sees as a highlight of his career.
“I think the years as Speaker were really impactful to me,” Cardin said.
“Speaker of the House, you’re selected by your peers. That’s because they know you best. It’s not only an honor but an opportunity,” he said. “The Speaker can really do a lot.”
He was elected to represent Maryland’s 3rd District in Congress in 1986, taking the seat vacated by another Maryland political icon, Barbara Mikuski, when she became Maryland’s first female senator. In 2006, he was elected to fill the seat of retiring Sen. Paul Sarbanes, who stepped down after 30 years in the Senate.
There he served as chair of the Small Business Committee and was elevated last year to the chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee after then-chair, Sen. Robert Menendez, was forced to step down in the face of a federal indictment on bribery charges.
Cardin — who counts passage of the Magnitsky Act, which allows U.S. to impose financial and travel sanctions on foreign officials, as one of his main achievements — considers his time as chair of Foreign Relations Committee as another career highlight.
“Being United States senator … the most unique institution in the world,” he said. “And to be a part of that Senate family is truly unique.”
In his 58 years as an elected official, Cardin has waded into almost every political topic, from authoring a bipartisan bill to expand retirement programs, to pushing children’s dental care for federal health care programs, and championing the health of the Chesapeake Bay, among others.
But in May 2023, Cardin announced that he did not intend to seek reelection.
His departure is bittersweet for the Democrat. On one hand, by stepping down he helped make way for Maryland’s first Black female U.S. senator in former Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, a Democrat who beat former Gov. Larry Hogan for the job in November.
On the other hand, 2025 will usher in a second Donald Trump administration, and Cardin fears that the political atmosphere is more divided than ever.
“We have a nation that is very divided. And I hope that the Trump administration recognizes that, I hope that they try to bring our nation together,” he said.
As he makes his way out of public service for the timebeing, he wants to impart to both Marylanders and the state’s political leaders that people “have to listen” to others in order to make progress.
“It is so important, when you listen to each other, get everybody at the table, you’re going to get better results. You get better solutions. Solutions that will last a longer period of time, rather than changing every two years,” Cardin said.
As for what’s next, he’s not quite sure what retirement from public service will look like, but he assures that he will continue to be a part of the political sphere in one way or another, and may return things that he focused on as an elected official such as foreign affairs, civic engagement or environmental work.
His last full year as a congressman also worked as a farewell tour. In August, he hosted his last town hall as a U.S. Senator at the Maryland Association of Counties Conference in Ocean City, where Mayor Richard Meehan presented him with a key to the city for his environmental protection work in the area.
He spent November and December traveling to the different regions of the state to thank local advocates and officials for their work throughout his near 60 years of service.
“It’s an opportunity for me to sort of thank my partners. This has been a real team effort,” he said. “And the local officials, particularly, we’ve worked seamlessly to try to get things done for our constituents.”
One of his last victories was helping to secure 100% federal funding to replace the fallen Francis Scott Key Bridge, an effort that took until the early morning hours of Dec. 21, in one of the last votes of the current Senate.
On Dec. 10, Cardin gave his final speech on the floor of the Senate.
“I come to the Floor today to say goodbye, as difficult as this may be,” he said. “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 of Representatives, and 18 years in the United States Senate, including, now chairing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“Of course, the work of a legislator is not easy — it requires perseverance, patience, a sense of humor and optimism,” he said. “That can make the world a better place, even in the face of often horrible and seemingly insurmountable challenges.”
