Ben Cardin

Ben Cardin
Ben Cardin
United States Senator; from Maryland
	In office; January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2025
Preceded by	Paul Sarbanes
Succeeded by	Angela Alsobrooks
Preceded by
Senate positions
Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
	In office; September 27, 2023 – January 3, 2025
Preceded by	Bob Menendez
Succeeded by	Jim Risch
Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee
	In office; February 3, 2021 – September 27, 2023
Preceded by	Marco Rubio
Succeeded by	Jeanne Shaheen
Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee
	In office; February 6, 2018 – February 3, 2021
Preceded by	Jeanne Shaheen
Succeeded by	Rand Paul
	In office; January 3, 2015 – April 2, 2015
Preceded by	Jim Risch
Succeeded by	Jeanne Shaheen
Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
	In office; April 2, 2015 – February 6, 2018
Preceded by	Bob Menendez
Succeeded by	Bob Menendez
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives; from Maryland's 3rd district
	In office; January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2007
Preceded by	Barbara Mikulski
Succeeded by	John Sarbanes
103rd Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates
	In office; January 6, 1979 – January 3, 1987
Preceded by	John Hanson Briscoe
Succeeded by	Clayton Mitchell
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates; from the 42nd district
	In office; January 6, 1967 – January 3, 1987
Preceded by	Maurice Cardin
Succeeded by	David Shapiro
Personal details
Born	Benjamin Louis Cardin; 5 October 1943 (aged 82); Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Myrna Edelman (m. 1964)
Children	2
Relatives	Meyer Cardin (father); Maurice Cardin (uncle); Jon Cardin (nephew)
Education	University of Pittsburgh (BA); University of Maryland, Baltimore (JD)
Signature
Website	Senate website
	Cardin's voice
	Cardin questions Daniel Werfel, nominee for IRS commissioner.; Recorded February 15, 2023
	Problems listening to this file? See media help.

Benjamin Louis "Ben" Cardin (born October 5, 1943) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party. He was the United States Senator from Maryland from 2007 to 2025.

Before his election to the Senate, Cardin, who has never lost an election, was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Maryland's 3rd congressional district (1987-2007). He also served in the Maryland House of Delegates (1967–87), serving as Speaker (1979–87). He was the youngest Speaker in Maryland history.

Cardin was elected to succeed Paul Sarbanes in the 2006 U.S. Senate election, defeating Republican Michael Steele, the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, by a margin of 54% to 44%. He was re-elected in 2012 with 55% of the vote.

He became the senior Senator on January 3, 2017 upon Barbara Mikulski's retirement.

In May 2023, Cardin announced he would not run for re-election in 2024.^[1]

Ben Cardin Media

On the floor of the House on June 12, 2006, Representative Cardin calling for the withdrawal of all troops from Iraq by 2007
Cardin (at podium) joining fellow Representatives Roscoe Bartlett (center; R-MD) and Jo Ann Davis (left; R-VA) in calling for a study of homeland security needs of the National Capital region, including Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia
Cardin with Maryland governor Wes Moore on May 20, 2023 at the Preakness Stakes at the Pimlico Racetrack in Baltimore
Cardin testifying before the U.S. House Ways and Means subcommittee on Human Resources
Ribbon bar of the Order of the Star of Romania
Cardin with Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Cardin with UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron in Washington D.C. on December 6, 2023
Cardin with Mark Warner in May 2017
Ben Cardin (far left) with other senators, US ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel and PM of Japan Fumio Kishida in 2022
Cardin with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, October 22, 2023