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Ben CardinAmerican politician, junior senator from Maryland, member of the Democratic Party
Date of Birth: 05.10.1943
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Ben Cardin
Ben Cardin is an American political figure, the junior Senator from Maryland, and a member of the Democratic Party. Before his election to the Senate, he served in the House of Representatives from the third district of Maryland.
Early Life and Education
Cardin was born in Baltimore, Maryland to Meyer and Dora Cardin. His parents were originally known as the Kardonsky family and later changed their surname to honor his father's parents, who were Russian Jews. Cardin's grandfather opened a small grocery store in Baltimore, which eventually grew into a chain of supermarkets. His father also worked in the Maryland House of Delegates and the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City.
In 1961, Cardin graduated from Baltimore City College, and in 1964, he earned a bachelor's degree with honors from the University of Pittsburgh. He went on to obtain a law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1967, where he graduated at the top of his class. That same year, Cardin passed the bar exam and opened his own law practice.
Political Career
From 1967 to 1986, Cardin served in the Maryland House of Delegates. He was initially appointed to the position while still a law student, taking over the seat previously held by his uncle, Maurice Cardin. Cardin quickly rose through the ranks and became the Speaker of the House, one of the youngest in Maryland's history.
In 1986, Barbara Mikulski decided to leave Congress and run for the Senate, opening up a vacancy in Maryland's third district. Cardin saw this as an opportunity and successfully ran for the position. He was reelected to Congress nine times and rarely faced strong opponents. During his time in Congress, Cardin focused on financial aspects of state government, pension reform, and healthcare.
In 2005, Cardin announced his intention to run for the U.S. Senate, aiming to replace retiring Senator Paul Sarbanes. In 2006, he won the Democratic primary and went on to defeat Republican Michael S. Steele in the general election. Cardin became the third consecutive representative from Maryland's third district to serve in the Senate, following Sarbanes and Mikulski. He continues to serve in the Senate to this day.
Personal Life
In 1964, Cardin married his high school sweetheart, Myrna Edelman. They have two children, Michael and Deborah. Tragically, Michael died by suicide in 1998. Cardin has two grandchildren. In 2002, his nephew Jon S. Cardin was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, and his appointment was attended by Meyer Cardin, the oldest living former member of the House. Although the nephew had initially planned to run for his uncle's congressional seat, he ultimately decided to remain in the House of Delegates.
