Ben Cardin

**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  (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.

## Other websites

- Senator Ben Cardin  official U.S. Senate site
- Ben Cardin for Senate

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **embed**: yes
- **office1**: Chair of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- **term start1**: September 27, 2023
- **term end1**: January 3, 2025
- **predecessor1**: Bob Menendez
- **successor1**: Jim Risch
- **office2**: Chair of the United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Senate Small Business Committee
- **term start2**: February 3, 2021
- **term end2**: September 27, 2023
- **predecessor2**: Marco Rubio
- **successor2**: Jeanne Shaheen
- **office3**: Ranking Member of the United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Senate Small Business Committee
- **term start3**: February 6, 2018
- **term end3**: February 3, 2021
- **predecessor3**: Jeanne Shaheen
- **successor3**: Rand Paul
- **term start4**: January 3, 2015
- **term end4**: April 2, 2015
- **predecessor4**: Jim Risch
- **successor4**: Jeanne Shaheen
- **office5**: Ranking Member of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- **term start5**: April 2, 2015
- **term end5**: February 6, 2018
- **predecessor5**: Bob Menendez
- **successor5**: Bob Menendez


## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: Ben Cardin
- **image**: Senator Ben Cardin Capitol Portrait, 118th Congress (cropped).jpg
- **jr/sr**: United States Senator
- **state**: Maryland
- **term start**: January 3, 2007
- **term end**: January 3, 2025
- **predecessor**: Paul Sarbanes
- **successor**: Angela Alsobrooks
- **state6**: Maryland
- **term start6**: January 3, 1987
- **term end6**: January 3, 2007
- **predecessor6**: Barbara Mikulski
- **successor6**: John Sarbanes
- **office7**: 103rd Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates
- **term start7**: January 6, 1979
- **term end7**: January 3, 1987
- **predecessor7**: John Hanson Briscoe
- **successor7**: R. Clayton Mitchell Jr., Clayton Mitchell
- **state delegate8**: Maryland
- **district8**: 42nd
- **term start8**: January 6, 1967
- **term end8**: January 3, 1987
- **predecessor8**: Maurice Cardin
- **successor8**: David Shapiro
- **birth name**: Benjamin Louis Cardin
- **birth place**: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
- **party**: Democratic Party (United States), Democratic
- **children**: 2
- **relatives**: Meyer Cardin (father)
Maurice Cardin (uncle)
Jon Cardin (nephew)
- **education**: University of Pittsburgh (Bachelor of Arts, BA)
University of Maryland, Baltimore (Juris Doctor, JD)
- **signature**: Ben Cardin signature.svg