Benjamin Louis Cardin (born October 5, 1943) is an American lawyer and former politician who served as a United States senator from Maryland from 2007 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the U.S. representative for from 1987 to 2007. Cardin served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1967 to 1987 and as its speaker from 1979 to 1987. In 58 years as an elected official, Cardin never lost an election.
Cardin was elected as U.S. senator to succeed Paul Sarbanes in 2006, defeating Republican Michael Steele, the lieutenant governor of Maryland. He became Maryland's senior U.S. senator on January 3, 2017, upon Barbara Mikulski's retirement. Cardin won reelection in 2012 and 2018, and retired from politics on January 3, 2025.
Early life and career
Benjamin Louis Cardin was born in Baltimore, Maryland. The family name was originally "Kardonsky", before it was changed to "Cardin". Cardin's grandparents were Russian Jewish immigrants. His maternal grandfather, Benjamin Green, operated a neighborhood grocery store that later turned into a wholesale food distribution company. His mother Dora was a schoolteacher and his father, Meyer Cardin, served in the Maryland House of Delegates (1935–1937) and later sat on the Baltimore City Supreme Bench (1961–1977).
Cardin and his family attended the Modern Orthodox Beth Tfiloh Congregation near their home, with which the family had been affiliated for three generations. Cardin attended Baltimore City College, graduating in 1961. In 1964, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh, where he was a member of the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity. He earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1967, graduating first in his class. Cardin was admitted to the Maryland Bar that same year, and joined the private practice of Rosen and Esterson until 1978.
Early political career
Maryland House of Delegates While still in law school, Cardin was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in November 1966. He held the seat once held by his uncle, Maurice Cardin, who had decided to not run for re-election so that his nephew could instead pursue the seat. He was chairman of the Ways & Means Committee from 1974 to 1979, then served as the 103rd Speaker of the House until he left office. At age 35, he was the youngest Speaker in Maryland history at the time. As Speaker, he was involved with reform efforts involving Maryland's property tax system, school financing formula, and ethical standards for elected officials.
U.S. House of Representatives In 1986, with Congresswoman Barbara Mikulski mounting what would be a successful bid for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by retiring Senator Charles Mathias, Cardin ran for Mikulski's seat in the 3rd congressional district, which covered a large slice of inner Baltimore, as well as several close-in suburbs. Cardin won the Democratic nomination with 82 percent of the vote—the real contest in this heavily Democratic district. He won the general election with 79 percent of the vote against a perennial candidate, Republican Ross Z. Pierpont. He would be reelected nine times, never dropping below 65 percent of the vote.
Cardin served as one of the House impeachment managers that successfully prosecuted the case in the 1989 impeachment trial of Judge Walter Nixon.
In the House, Cardin was involved with fiscal issues, pension reform, and health care. His legislation to increase the amount individuals can store in their 401k plans and IRAs was passed in 2001. His bill to expand Medicare to include preventive benefits such as colorectal, prostate, mammogram, and osteoporosis screening was also enacted. He also authored legislation to provide a Medicare prescription drug benefit for chronic illnesses; fund graduate medical education; and guarantee coverage for emergency services.
Cardin has also advocated, via proposed legislation, welfare reform. His bill to increase education and support services for foster children between ages 18 and 21 was signed into law in 1999. He authored bills to expand child support, improve the welfare-to-work program, and increase the child care tax credit.
Cardin has been commended for his work with fiscal policy. He has been honored by Worth magazine and by Treasury and Risk Management for his work protecting retirement plans and government-supported medical care for the elderly. He has also received scores of 100 percent from the League of Conservation Voters and the NAACP, indicating stances that are in favor of environmental protection and civil rights. Cardin was also one of 133 members of Congress to vote against the 2002 Iraq Resolution. In 2023, Cardin voted with a bipartisan majority to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) in Iraq.
House committee assignments , Cardin served on the following House committees: Member of the Ways and Means Committee. Ranking member of the Trade Subcommittee. Member of the Human Resources Subcommittee. Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe.
U.S. Senate
Elections
2006
On April 26, 2005, Cardin announced that he would seek the U.S. Senate seat of long-standing senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), following the announcement by Sarbanes that he would not be running for re-election in 2006. On September 12, 2006, Cardin faced a challenging primary battle with other Maryland Democrats, including Allan Lichtman, Josh Rales, Dennis F. Rasmussen, and his former House colleague Kweisi Mfume. Cardin won, however, with 44 percent of the vote, compared to 40 percent for Mfume, five percent for Rales, and two percent for Rasmussen.
Cardin won election on November 7, 2006, defeating Republican challenger Michael Steele 54 percent to 44 percent.
2012
In the general election, he faced Republican Dan Bongino, a former United States Secret Service agent, Independent Rob Sobhani, an economist and businessman, and Libertarian Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad, President of the Minaret of Freedom Institute. Cardin easily won the election, taking 56% of the vote to Bongino's 26.3%, Sobhani's 16.4% and Ahmad's 1%.
2018
Cardin was re-elected for a third term in 2018.
2024 On May 1, 2023, Cardin announced that he would retire and not seek re-election in 2024.
Tenure Cardin was participating in the certification of the 2021 United States Electoral College vote count when the January 6 United States Capitol attack happened. Cardin was on the Senate chamber floor when the rioters breached the Capitol. He was "ushered quickly — and I do mean quickly — away from the Capitol" after Vice President Mike Pence was removed from the chambers. During the attack, while Cardin hid with other senators in a safe location, he tweeted, blaming President Donald Trump for encouraging the rioters. He called for Trump to stop the protestors so the event would end "peacefully." Cardin also compared the police involvement during the attack to that seen during Black Lives Matter protests, calling it a "stark contrast." After the Capitol was secure, Cardin joined Congress to certify the count. After, he said that Trump should be held accountable for the insurrection and called for Republican leaders to tell Trump that he needs to resign. Two days later, on January 8, Cardin called for the invocation of the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution or impeachment to remove Trump.
In 2024, Cardin advocated for the federal government to fund the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore after it collapsed when a ship crashed into it.
Senate committee assignments Source: Committee on Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Finance Subcommittee on Health Care (chair) Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight Committee on Foreign Relations (chair) Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism Subcommittee on State Department and USAID Management, International Operations, and Bilateral International Development (chair) Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights and Global Women's Issues Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Cardin was selected by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to fill in for Dianne Feinstein on the Judiciary Committee until she returned.
In 2015, Cardin became the ranking Democratic member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee after the departure of Senator Robert Menendez as ranking Democrat and chairman. Two weeks after Menendez's departure, Cardin was credited with facilitating achievement of a unanimous committee vote in favor of the markup for the bill on the USA's involvement in the negotiations with Iran on nuclear technology.
Caucus membership Senate Oceans Caucus Senate Military Family Caucus Congressional Coalition on Adoption
Legislation sponsored The following is an incomplete list of legislation that Cardin has sponsored: Affordable College Textbook Act (S. 1864; 115th Congress)
International experience Cardin has been a Commissioner on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the U.S. Helsinki Commission) since 1993, serving as Ranking Member from 2003 to 2006. He subsequently served two terms as co-chair of the commission, from 2007 to 2008, and 2011 to 2012; and also two terms as chair, from 2009 to 2010, and 2013 to 2014. From 2015 to 2016 he was again ranking member. In 2006 he was elected vice president of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly, and served through 2014.
Post-senatorial career In January 2026, Cardin joined Johns Hopkins University as a distinguished senior fellow.
Ben and Myrna Cardin Center for Civic Engagement & Civil Discourse
In September 2025, Towson University established the Ben & Myrna Cardin Center for Civic Engagement & Civil Discourse in partnership with Cardin and his wife, Myrna Cardin, a Towson University alumna. The center focuses on civic engagement, civil discourse and democratic participation through student engagement, faculty collaboration, public programming and community involvement.
Cardin and his wife co-chair the center and provide strategic direction and thought leadership in partnership with Towson University faculty, students, staff and community partners. Cardin also joined Towson University as its second Presidential Scholar in connection with the center's launch. The center officially opened in October 2025.
On August 17, 2026, Cardin and his wife joined Towson University President Mark_R._Ginsberg in announcing the appointment of Nora Demleitner as the inaugural Executive Director of the Ben and Myrna Cardin Center for Civic Engagement & Civil Discourse at Towson University. Demleitner was appointed following a national search and was selected to lead the center's work promoting civic engagement, civil discourse, public service, and democratic participation. Cardin and his wife continue to serve as co-founders of the center and work with Demleitner and the university in advancing its mission.
Honors
Cardin sits on the board of visitors of the University of Maryland School of Law, his law school alma mater.
Ben Cardin has also earned an Honorary Degree from University of Maryland, College Park in the Class of 2025 graduation ceremony held on May 22, 2025.
Cardin has been awarded the following foreign honor:
Commander of the Order of the Star of Romania, Romania (June 8, 2017)
Political positions