Posted on by Randy Slovacek

Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin Won’t Seek Reelection In 2024

U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D) has announced he will not seek reelection next year, ending a nearly 60-year run in Maryland politics.
Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland (image via official Facebook)

U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D) has announced he will not seek reelection next year, ending a nearly 60-year run in Maryland politics.

The announcement creates a rare vacancy in the closely-divided Senate.

From the Fredrick News Post:

“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.

Democrats currently control the Senate by a thin 51-49 margin.

But Maryland, which currently has twice as many registered Democratic voters as Republicans, hasn’t elected a GOP U.S. senator since Charles Mathias of Frederick in 1980. So most folks expect the Senate seat to remain in the Democrats column.