Ben Cardin

Benjamin Louis Cardin (born October 5, 1943) is an American politician serving as the senior United States Senator from Maryland, first elected to that seat in 2006. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously was the U.S. Representative for Maryland's 3rd congressional district from 1987 to 2007. Cardin served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1967 to 1987 and as Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1979 to 1987, the youngest person to hold the position in history. In his half-century career as an elected official, he has never lost an election.

Ben Cardin
United States senator
from Maryland
Assumed office
January 3, 2007
Serving with Chris Van Hollen
Preceded byPaul Sarbanes
Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee
Assumed office
February 6, 2018
Preceded byJeanne Shaheen
In office
January 3, 2015 – April 2, 2015
Preceded byJim Risch
Succeeded byJeanne Shaheen
Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
In office
April 2, 2015 – February 6, 2018
Preceded byBob Menendez
Succeeded byBob Menendez
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Maryland's 3rd district
In office
January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2007
Preceded byBarbara Mikulski
Succeeded byJohn Sarbanes
103rd Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates
In office
January 6, 1979 – January 3, 1987
Preceded byJohn Hanson Briscoe
Succeeded byClayton Mitchell
Member of the
Maryland House of Delegates
from the 42nd district
In office
January 6, 1967 – January 3, 1987
Preceded byMaurice Cardin
Succeeded byDavid Shapiro
Personal details
Born
Benjamin Louis Cardin

(1943-10-05) October 5, 1943
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
Myrna Edelman
(
m. 1964)
Children2
FatherMeyer Cardin
EducationUniversity of Pittsburgh (BA)
University of Maryland, Baltimore (JD)
WebsiteSenate website

Cardin was elected as U.S. Senator to succeed Paul Sarbanes in 2006, defeating Republican Michael Steele, the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, by a margin of 54% to 44%. He was reelected in 2012 taking 56% of the vote.[1] He became a senior U.S. Senator on January 3, 2017 upon Barbara Mikulski's retirement. Cardin won reelection to a third term in 2018, taking 65% of the vote.

Early life and career

Benjamin Louis Cardin was born in Baltimore, Maryland.[2] The family name was originally "Kardonsky", before it was changed to "Cardin". Cardin's grandparents were Russian Jewish immigrants. His grandfather, Benjamin Green, operated a neighborhood grocery store that later turned into a wholesale food distribution company.[3] His father, Meyer Cardin, served in the Maryland House of Delegates (1935–1937) and later sat on the Baltimore City Supreme Bench (1961–1977).[3][4]

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 City College High School, graduating in 1961; In 1964, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh,[2] 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.[2] Cardin was admitted to the Maryland Bar that same year, and joined the private practice of Rosen and Esterson until 1978.[2]

Political career

Maryland House of Delegates

While still in law school, Cardin was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in November 1966.[2][3] 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.[5] At age 35, he was the youngest Speaker in Maryland history at the time.[2] As Speaker, he was involved with reform efforts involving Maryland's property tax system, school financing formula, and ethical standards for elected officials.[5]

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 representing 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.

On the floor of the House on June 12, 2006, Representative Cardin calling for the withdrawal of all troops from Iraq by 2007

Cardin was reelected nine times, rarely facing serious opposition and even running unopposed in 1992. In the 2000 round of redistricting, his district was redrawn to add significant portions of Anne Arundel County, including the state capital of Annapolis. His last two opponents hailed from Anne Arundel and nearly carried the district's portion of that county.

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.[5]

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.[5] He authored bills to expand child support, improve the welfare-to-work program, and increase the child care tax credit.[5]

In 1998, Cardin was appointed Chairman of the Special Study Commission on Maryland Public Ethics Law by the Maryland General Assembly. In 1997, he co-chaired the Bipartisan Ethics Task Force in an effort to reform ethics procedures in the House of Representatives. He also held leadership positions on the Organization, Study and Review Committee and the Steering Committee of the House Democratic Caucus, and served as Senior Democratic Whip.

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.[6]

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

Committee assignments

As of May 2006, Cardin served on the following House committees:

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.[7] Two weeks after Menendez 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.[7]

U.S. Senate

2006 election
Main article: 2006 United States Senate election in Maryland

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.[8]

Cardin won election on November 7, 2006, defeating Republican challenger Michael Steele 54 percent to 44 percent.[9] Cardin became the third consecutive Representative from Maryland's 3rd Congressional District to be elected Senator (following Sarbanes and Mikulski).

2012 election
Main article: 2012 United States Senate election in Maryland

Cardin ran for re-election to a second term in 2012. He turned back a primary challenge from State Senator C. Anthony Muse, defeating him 74% to 16%, with seven other candidates taking the remaining 10%.

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%.[1]

2018 election
Main article: 2018 United States Senate election in Maryland

Cardin was re-elected for a third term in 2018.

Committee assignments

Cardin currently serves on the following Senate Committees in the 115th United States Congress: (Outdated)

Caucus membership

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.[11] 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.[2] From 2015 to 2016 he was again ranking member.[12] In 2006 he was elected vice president of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly, and served through 2014.[2]

Honors
Cardin testifying before the U.S. House Ways and Means subcommittee on Human Resources

Cardin holds honorary degrees from several institutions, including the University of Baltimore School of Law (1990); University of Maryland, Baltimore (1993); Baltimore Hebrew University (1994); Goucher College (1996); and Villa Julie College (2007).

As of 2016 Cardin sits on the Board of Visitors of the University of Maryland School of Law, his law school alma mater.[13]

From 1988 to 1995, he chaired the Maryland Legal Services Corp. Through much of his political career, he has continued to work with law policy.

From 1988 to 1999, Cardin served on the St. Mary's College of Maryland Board of Trustees, and in 2002, he was appointed to the St. Mary's Advisory Board for the Study of Democracy. In 1999, he was appointed to the Goucher College Board of Trustees.

Cardin has been awarded the following foreign honor:

Political positions

On a list by Congressional Quarterly of the members of Congress who were most supportive of President Barack Obama's legislative agenda in 2009, Cardin was tied for fifth most supportive Senator with five other Senators.[16] In 2013, National Journal rated him as tied with six other Democratic senators for fifth most liberal Senator.[17]

Agriculture

In June 2019, Cardin and eighteen other Democratic senators sent a letter to USDA Inspector General (IG) Phyllis K. Fong with the request that the IG investigate USDA instances of retaliation and political decision-making and asserted that not conducting an investigation would mean these "actions could be perceived as a part of this administration’s broader pattern of not only discounting the value of federal employees, but suppressing, undermining, discounting, and wholesale ignoring scientific data produced by their own qualified scientists."[18]

Death penalty

Senator Cardin is a supporter of the death penalty.[19]

Economy

In March 2019, Cardin was one of six senators to sign a letter to the Federal Trade Commission requesting it "use its rulemaking authority, along with other tools, in order to combat the scourge of non-compete clauses rigging our economy against workers" and espousing the view that such provisions "harm employees by limiting their ability to find alternate work, which leaves them with little leverage to bargain for better wages or working conditions with their immediate employer." The senators furthered that the FTC had the responsibility of protecting both consumers and workers and needed to "act decisively" to address their concerns over "serious anti-competitive harms from the proliferation of non-competes in the economy."[20]

Education

In 2007, Cardin supported the United States Public Service Academy Act. The Act would serve to create "an undergraduate institution devoted to developing civilian leaders." Like the Military Academies, this would give students 4 years of tuition-free education in exchange for 5 years of public service upon graduation.[21]

Environmentalism

Liberal environmentalists criticized Cardin for compromising too much while working with conservative James Inhofe on an amendment to Cardin's Chesapeake Bay legislation.[22] Josh Saks, senior legislative representative for water resources campaigns with the National Wildlife Federation, praised Cardin as "the lead voice for clean water and the restoration of America's great waters in Congress."[22]

In November 2018, Cardin was one of twenty-five Democratic senators to cosponsor a resolution specifying key findings of the Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change report and National Climate Assessment. The resolution affirmed the senators' acceptance of the findings and their support for bold action toward addressing climate change.[23]

In March 2019, Cardin was one of eleven senators to sponsor the Climate Security Act of 2019, legislation forming a new group within the State Department that would have the responsibility for developing strategies to integrate climate science and data into operations of national security as well as restoring the post of special envoy for the Arctic, which had been dismantled by President Trump in 2017. The proposed envoy would advise the president and the administration on the potential effects of climate on national security and be responsible for facilitating all interagency communication between federal science and security agencies.[24]

Elections
Cardin with Debbie Wasserman Schultz

In October 2018 Cardin cosponsored, together with Chris Van Hollen and Susan Collins, a bipartisan bill that if passed would block "any persons from foreign adversaries from owning or having control over vendors administering U.S. elections." Protect Our Elections Act would make companies involved in administering elections reveal foreign owners, and informing local, state and federal authorities if said ownership changes. Companies failing to comply would face fined of $100,000.[25][26]

Gun control

Cardin has an "F" rating from the National Rifle Association.[27]

In 2013, he co-sponsored the Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act in an effort to ban large-capacity ammunition.[28]

In response to the Orlando nightclub shooting, Cardin questioned the legality of military style assault weapons stating that "in my observations in Maryland, I don't know too many people who need to have that type of weapon in order to do hunting in my state or to keep themselves safe."[29]

Cardin opposed the 2016 sale of approximately 26,000 assault rifles to the national police of the Philippines. His opposition led to the U.S. State Department halting the sale.[30]

In the wake of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, Cardin stated that thoughts and prayers were not going to save more people from dying in mass shootings.[31] He also made a call for action to change gun laws, stating on Twitter that "Automatic weapons aren't needed to hunt deer or ducks; they're meant to kill people."[32] In response to the shooting, Cardin sponsored Dianne Feinstein's proposal to ban bump-fire stocks, which were used by the shooter to kill 58 individuals and injure over 500.[33]

Journalism

In July 2019, Cardin and Rob Portman introduced the Fallen Journalists Memorial Act, a bill that would create a new memorial that would be privately funded and constructed on federal lands within Washington, D.C. in order to honor journalists, photographers, and broadcasters that have died in the line of duty.[34]

Healthcare

In the 111th Congress, Cardin helped secure dental benefits in the State Children's Health Insurance Plan.[35]

In August 2019, Cardin was one of nineteen senators to sign a letter to United States Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin and United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar requesting data from the Trump administration in order to aid in the comprehension of states and Congress on potential consequences in the event that the Texas v. United States Affordable Care Act (ACA) lawsuit prevailed in courts, citing that an overhaul of the present health care system would form "an enormous hole in the pocketbooks of the people we serve as well as wreck state budgets".[36]

In October 2019, Cardin was one of twenty-seven senators to sign a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer advocating for the passage of the Community Health Investment, Modernization, and Excellence (CHIME) Act, which was set to expire the following month. The senators warned that if the funding for the Community Health Center Fund (CHCF) was allowed to expire, it "would cause an estimated 2,400 site closures, 47,000 lost jobs, and threaten the health care of approximately 9 million Americans."[37]

Housing

In April 2019, Cardin was one of forty-one senators to sign a bipartisan letter to the housing subcommittee praising the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development's Section 4 Capacity Building program as authorizing "HUD to partner with national nonprofit community development organizations to provide education, training, and financial support to local community development corporations (CDCs) across the country" and expressing disappointment that President Trump's budget "has slated this program for elimination after decades of successful economic and community development." The senators wrote of their hope that the subcommittee would support continued funding for Section 4 in Fiscal Year 2020.[38]

International policy

On 31 October 2011 Cardin endorsed the proposal for the United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA). He is one of only six persons who served as members of the United States Congress ever to do so and is the only one who did so while in office.[39]

Cardin has often supported positions that aim to strengthen America's relationship with Israel.[40] In 2017, Cardin sponsored a bill, the Israel Anti-Boycott Act (S. 720)), that would penalize commercial businesses that wanted to aid International NGOs and/or organizations in boycotting Israel.[41][42]

He supported civilian nuclear cooperation with India.[43]

Weeks after the 2014 Hong Kong class boycott campaign and Umbrella Movement broke out which demands genuine universal suffrage among other goals, Cardin among bipartisan colleagues joined U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown and Rep. Chris Smith's effort to introduce Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act which would update the United States–Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 and U.S. commitment to Hong Kong's freedom and democracy. "Civil society and democratic freedoms are under attack around the world and Hong Kong is on the front lines. The United States has a responsibility to protect human rights and defend against these threats," Cardin, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations East Asian and Pacific Affairs Subcommittee said.[44][45][46][47][48][49]

In July 2017, Cardin voted in favor of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act that placed sanctions on Iran together with Russia and North Korea.[50] On 11 October 2017, in a joint statement, Cardin and Senator John McCain questioned the Trump administration's commitment to the sanctions bill.[51]

Cardin with Mark Warner in May 2017

In October 2017, Cardin condemned the genocide of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar and called for a stronger response to the crisis.[52]

In August 2018, Cardin and 16 other lawmakers urged the Trump administration to impose sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act against Chinese officials who are responsible for human rights abuses against the Uyghur Muslim minority in western China's Xinjiang region.[53] They wrote: "The detention of as many as a million or more Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities in 'political reeducation' centers or camps requires a tough, targeted, and global response."[54]

Cardin condemned President Erdoğan's wide-ranging crackdown on dissent following a failed July 2016 coup in America's NATO ally Turkey.[55]

In April 2019, Cardin was one of thirty-four senators to sign a letter to President Trump encouraging him "to listen to members of your own Administration and reverse a decision that will damage our national security and aggravate conditions inside Central America", asserting that Trump had "consistently expressed a flawed understanding of U.S. foreign assistance" since becoming president and that he was "personally undermining efforts to promote U.S. national security and economic prosperity" through preventing the use of Fiscal Year 2018 national security funding. The senators argued that foreign assistance to Central American countries created less migration to the U.S., citing the funding's helping to improve conditions in those countries.[56]

Online privacy

Cardin supports Net Neutrality, as shown by his vote during the 109th Congress in favor of the Markey Amendment to H.R. 5252 which would add Net Neutrality provisions to the federal telecommunications code.[57] Cardin also supports Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act, which gives DOJ the tools to target those site owners who are engaged in illegal digital piracy.[58]

Taxes

Cardin is opposed to eliminating the tax deduction for charitable donations and supports raising taxes on higher income earners.[59] During a December 20, 2012, interview with Maria Bartiromo on CNBC, Cardin stated, "We're now a few days away from Christmas. The easiest way to get the revenues is to get the rates from the higher income, uh, taxpayers."[59] In response to the question, "Are you prepared to vote to limit the loophole of charitable deductions?" Cardin responded, "No."[59]

Whistleblowers

In November 2011, Cardin's intended update of the 1917 Espionage Act upset some public disclosure advocates. They complained that it "would make it harder for federal employees to expose government fraud and abuse."[60]

Israel

Cardin is a co-sponsor of a Senate resolution expressing objection to the UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which condemned Israeli settlement building in the occupied Palestinian territories as a violation of international law. Cardin said that "Congress will take action against efforts at the UN, or beyond, that use Resolution 2334 to target Israel."[61]

Cardin supported President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. He stated: "Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel and the location of the US Embassy should reflect this fact."[62]

Cardin and Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) proposed the Israel Anti-Boycott Act in late 2018 which would make it illegal for companies to engage in boycotts against Israel and Israeli settlements in the Israeli-occupied territories.[63] The bill would expand the Export Administration Act (EAA) to foreign boycotts imposed by international organizations like the European Union, Arab League and the United Nations. Cardin and Portman have been strongly in promotion of the bill, working to integrate it into larger spending legislation to be signed by President Trump.[64]

Personal life

Cardin married high school sweetheart Myrna Edelman, a teacher,[65] on November 24, 1964. They have a daughter, Deborah. Their son Michael died of suicide on March 24, 1998[66] at age 30.[67]

In 2002, Ben's 32-year-old nephew, Jon S. Cardin, who graduated from University of Maryland law school in 2001, was elected as a Delegate representing District 11 of western Baltimore County. With state legislative District 11 overlapping Congressional District 3, there were two Cardins on the ticket in this area in 2002. Present at Jon's swearing in was the oldest living former member of the House of Delegates at 95 years of age, Meyer Cardin, Jon's grandfather and Ben's father. Also in attendance was Ben, who remarked, "The next generation's taking over."[68] After Ben announced that he would vacate his Congressional seat to run for the U.S. Senate, Jon Cardin stated that he was exploring a campaign for his uncle's Congressional seat, though he ultimately decided to seek reelection to the House of Delegates.

Volunteer service

For many years Cardin served on the Board of Trustees for St. Mary's College of Maryland. He was very active on the board and also played key roles in the establishment of the Center for the Study of Democracy at the college, where he also served on the advisory board.

Election history
Maryland's 3rd Congressional District election, 2000
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Benjamin Cardin (Incumbent) 169,347 75.66
Republican Scott Conwell 53,827 24.05
Libertarian Joe Pomykala 238 0.11
Write-ins 406 0.18
Total votes 223,818 100.00
Democratic hold
Maryland's 3rd Congressional District election, 2002
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Benjamin Cardin (Incumbent) 145,589 65.79
Republican Scott Conwell 75,721 34.21
Total votes 221,310 100.00
Democratic hold
Maryland's 3rd Congressional District election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Democratic Benjamin Cardin (Incumbent) 182,066 63.44% -2.35
Republican Robert P. Duckworth 97,008 33.80% -0.41
Green Patsy Allen 7,895 2.75% +2.75
Total votes 286,969 100.00
Democratic hold
Democratic Primary results[69]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Benjamin L. Cardin 257,545 43.67
Democratic Kweisi Mfume 238,957 40.52
Democratic Josh Rales 30,737 5.21
Democratic Dennis F. Rasmussen 10,997 1.86
Democratic Mike Schaefer 7,773 1.32
Democratic Allan Lichtman 6,919 1.17
Democratic Theresa C. Scaldaferri 5,081 0.86
Democratic James H. Hutchinson 4,949 0.84
Democratic David Dickerson 3,950 0.67
Democratic A. Robert Kaufman 3,908 0.66
Democratic Anthony Jaworski 3,486 0.59
Democratic Thomas McCaskill 3,459 0.59
Democratic George T. English 2,305 0.39
Democratic Bob Robinson 2,208 0.37
Democratic Lih Young 2,039 0.35
Democratic Blaine Taylor 1,848 0.31
Democratic Joseph Werner 1,832 0.31
Democratic Charles Ulysses Smith 1,702 0.29
Total votes 589,695 100
Maryland United States Senate election results, 2006[70]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Democratic Ben Cardin 965,477 54.21 -9.0
Republican Michael Steele 787,182 44.19 +7.5
Green Kevin Zeese 27,564 1.55 n/a
Write-ins 916 0.05 0
Majority 178,295 100.00
Turnout 1,781,139
Democratic hold Swing
Democratic primary results[71][72][73]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Cardin (incumbent) 240,704 74.2
Democratic C. Anthony Muse 50,807 15.7
Democratic Chris Garner 9,274 2.9
Democratic Raymond Levi Blagmon 5,909 1.8
Democratic J. P. Cusick 4,778 1.5
Democratic Blaine Taylor 4,376 1.3
Democratic Lih Young 3,993 1.2
Democratic Ralph Jaffe 3,313 1.0
Democratic Ed Tinus 1,064 0.3
Total votes 324,218 100
United States Senate election in Maryland, 2012[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Democratic Ben Cardin (incumbent) 1,474,028 55.98% +1.77%
Republican Daniel Bongino 693,291 26.33% -17.86%
Independent Rob Sobhani 430,934 16.37% N/A
Libertarian Dean Ahmad 32,252 1.22% N/A
n/a Write-ins 2,729 0.10% +0.05%
Total votes '2,633,234' '100.0%' N/A
Democratic hold
Democratic primary results, Maryland 2018[74]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Cardin (incumbent) 447,441 79.24%
Democratic Chelsea Manning 34,611 6.13%
Democratic Jerome Segal 20,027 3.55%
Democratic Debbie Wilson 18,953 3.36%
Democratic Marcia H. Morgan 16,047 2.84%
Democratic Lih Young 9,874 1.75%
Democratic Richard Vaughn 9,480 1.68%
Democratic Erik Jetmir 8,259 1.46%
Total votes 564,692 100%
United States Senate election in Maryland, 2018[75]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Democratic Ben Cardin (incumbent) 1,491,614 64.86% +8.88%
Republican Tony Campbell 697,017 30.31% +3.98%
Independent Neal Simon 85,964 3.74% N/A
Libertarian Arvin Vohra 22,943 1.00% -0.22%
Write-in 2,351 0.10% N/A
Total votes '2,299,889' '100%' N/A
Democratic hold

Footnotes
  1. 2012 General Election Results, Maryland State Board of Elections, November 28, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  2. Official Congressional Directory (114th Congress, 2015–2016 ed.). Washington, D.C.: United States Government Publishing Office. 2016. p. 123. ISBN 9780160929960. OCLC 951612101 – via Google Books.
  3. "About Ben Cardin". Ben Cardin for Senate. Archived from the original on February 8, 2009.
  4. "Meyer Melvin Cardin, MSA SC 3520-14430". Archives of Maryland (Biographical Series). August 1, 2005. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  5. "Senator Benjamin L. Cardin : Maryland". Cardin.senate.gov. Archived from the original on August 28, 2010. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  6. "Senator Benjamin L. Cardin : Maryland". Cardin.senate.gov. Archived from the original on April 25, 2007. In 2002, as a member of the House, he voted against giving the President the authority to go to war in Iraq.
  7. Bennett, John T. (April 16, 2015). "Thrust Into Iran Bill Talks, Cardin Delivers". Congress. DefenseNews. Sightline Media Group. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  8. "Official 2006 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for U.S. Senator". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  9. "2006 Elections". You Decide 2006. Fox News. February 20, 2007. Archived from the original on February 21, 2007.
  10. "Portman and Durbin Launch Senate Ukraine Caucus". Rob Portman – Newsroom (Press release). February 9, 2015. Archived from the original on February 11, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  11. "Ben Cardin, US Senator for Maryland". cardin.senate.gov. Archived from the original on March 28, 2007.
  12. "About CSCE: Commissioners". Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  13. "Board of Visitors". University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. 2016. Archived from the original on December 30, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  14. "Klaus Iohannis a decorat opt congresmani americani cu Ordinul Steaua României în grad de Comandor". Adevărul (in Romanian). Bucharest, Romania. June 9, 2017. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  15. Peia, Florentina; Iacob, Simona (June 9, 2017). Purcarea, Vicentiu; Pandea, Razvan-Adrian (eds.). "President Iohannis and U.S. congressmen discuss Romania's inclusion in Visa Waiver programme". Bucharest, Romania. Agerpres. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  16. "Cardin, Sarbanes get high marks for Obama support; Mikulski's attendance slips". The Baltimore Sun.
  17. "2013 Vote Ratings: The 15 Most Liberal Senators". National Journal. Archived from the original on February 9, 2014. Ballotpedia offers an explanation of the ratings, with a full list of the 2013 ratings of the Senate and House: .
  18. "Menendez, Booker Join Call for Investigation at USDA amid Reports of Scientific Data Suppression". InsiderNJ. June 26, 2019.
  19. Linn, Leticia (November 3, 2006). "Md. Senate Contenders Differ Over Death Penalty". Southern Maryland Online.
  20. "Warren, Klobuchar call on FTC to curtail use of non-compete clauses". The Hill. March 20, 2019.
  21. "USPSA" (PDF). Public Service Academy. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 30, 2008.
  22. Quinlan, Paul (July 1, 2011). "Sen. Cardin Hopes to Bridge Divide Over Water". The New York Times. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  23. "Merkley resolution urges quick climate change action". KTVZ. November 27, 2018. Archived from the original on February 7, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  24. Green, Miranda (March 12, 2019). "Democrats offer legislation to counter White House climate science council". The Hill.
  25. Thomsen, Jacqueline (October 11, 2018). "Bipartisan bill would block foreign adversaries from owning US election vendors". The Hill. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  26. Fleischer, Jodie; Leslie, Katie; Piper, Jeff (October 11, 2018). "Measure Seeks to Prevent Foreign Ownership of US Elections Firms After Russian Invests in Maryland Elections Vendor". NBC Washington. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  27. "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  28. "Benjamin Cardin on Gun Control". www.ontheissues.org. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  29. Fritze, John. "Cardin, Mikulski weigh in on Senate guns filibuster". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  30. Zengerle, Patricia (2016). "Exclusive: U.S. stopped Philippines rifle sale that senator opposed – sources". Reuters. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  31. Cardin, Ben [@SenatorCardin] (October 2, 2017). "We need to stop the carnage. More talk and prayers will not save lives. Only action and real changes in our laws can" (Tweet). Retrieved October 4, 2017 – via Twitter.
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Further reading
gollark: This is innovation. This is the *future* of meeting room naming.
gollark: You could replace the door signs with cheap wireless-capable tablets or something and manage them centrally.
gollark: The Google-scale™ solution would be to have some sort of system constantly monitor internet traffic to determine the latest hilarious memetic hazards, then to update the room names automatically accordingly.
gollark: Their incentives aren't really lined up with those of random smaller content creators.
gollark: Yes, Rust good, though hard to learn.

See also
Maryland House of Delegates
Preceded by
Maurice Cardin		 Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 42nd district
1967–1987		 Succeeded by
David Shapiro
Political offices
Preceded by
John Hanson Briscoe		 Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates
1979–1987		 Succeeded by
Clayton Mitchell
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Barbara Mikulski		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Maryland's 3rd congressional district
1987–2007		 Succeeded by
John Sarbanes
Party political offices
Preceded by
Paul Sarbanes		 Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Maryland
(Class 1)
2006, 2012, 2018		 Most recent
U.S. Senate
Preceded by
Paul Sarbanes		 U.S. Senator (Class 1) from Maryland
2007–present
Served alongside: Barbara Mikulski, Chris Van Hollen		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Alcee Hastings		 Chair of the Joint Helsinki Commission
2009–2011		 Succeeded by
Chris Smith
Preceded by
Chris Smith		 Chair of the Joint Helsinki Commission
2013–2015
Preceded by
Jim Risch		 Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee
2015		 Succeeded by
Jeanne Shaheen
Preceded by
Bob Menendez		 Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
2015–2018		 Succeeded by
Bob Menendez
Preceded by
Jeanne Shaheen		 Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee
2018–present		 Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Bob Menendez		 United States Senators by seniority
27th		 Succeeded by
Bernie Sanders
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