Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin is bowing out of a 2024 reelection race, ending a nearly 60-year career and opening up a U.S. Senate seat in deeply Democratic Maryland.
“I am proud of all I have done for Maryland,” said Mr. Cardin, 79. “I have given my heart and soul to our great state, and I thank Marylanders for trusting me as your representative for all these years.”
A Democrat from the city of Baltimore, Mr. Cardin was first elected to the Senate in 2006 when he defeated the state Lt. Governor Michael Steele, a Republican. Mr. Cardin easily secured reelection in 2012 and 2018.
Mr. Cardin has chaired the Senate Small Business Committee for the past two years. He said he hopes to use the panel over the next two years to help Maryland, despite not seeking reelection.
“I will continue to travel around the state, listening to Marylanders and responding to their needs,” he said. “My top priorities include continuing our progress for the Chesapeake Bay, helping the people of Baltimore City deal with the challenges they face, and permanently expanding opportunities for telehealth, mental and behavioral health.”
A longtime fixture in Maryland politics, Mr. Cardin represented Baltimore and its suburbs for 20 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. Before that, he was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, where he served as speaker between 1979 and 1987.
“There’s only one Ben Cardin, and he will continue to build on his legacy for the remainder of his term,” said Rep. David Trone, Maryland Democrat. “When he departs, all of us will miss his leadership.”
The National Republican Senatorial Committee was quick to paint Mr. Cardin’s exit as a consequence of the difficult political map facing Democrats in 2024 as they try to keep their slim 51-seat majority within the Senate.
Democrats are defending vulnerable seats in reliably red states like Ohio, Montana, and West Virginia. They also have incumbents up for reelection in prime swing states, including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
“Democrats are quickly realizing that the Senate won’t be any fun for them when Republicans retake the majority in 2024,” said NRSC spokesman Tate Mitchell.
While the balance of power is up for grabs in the Senate, Democrats don’t expect any trouble holding onto Maryland. President Biden won the state by more than 33 percentage points in 2020.
Although no candidate has yet to announce for Mr. Cardin, Maryland’s congressional delegation is full of potential senators. Apart from Mr. Trone, Democratic Reps. John Sarbanes, Kwesi Mfume, and Jamie Raskin are all seen as strong contenders if they choose to run.
Mr. Mfume, a former CEO of the NAACP, lost a close Democratic primary for the seat to Mr. Cardin in 2006. Mr. Cardin’s nephew, state Delegate John Cardin, is also seen as a potential candidate.
Republicans, meanwhile, have been pushing for popular former Gov. Larry Hogan to make a run. Mr. Hogan, who passed on a running for president in 2024, has demurred such calls in the past.
• Haris Alic can be reached at halic@washingtontimes.com.