Ben Cardin - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Benjamin Louis "Ben" Cardin (born October 5, 1943) is the junior United States Senator

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

from Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

and a member of the Democratic Party

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

. Before his election to the Senate, Cardin was a member of the United States House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

, representing from 1987 to 2007.

Cardin was elected to succeed Paul Sarbanes

Paul Sarbanes

Paul Spyros Sarbanes , a Democrat, is a former United States Senator who represented the state of Maryland. Sarbanes was the longest-serving senator in Maryland history, having served from 1977 until 2007. He did not seek re-election in 2006, when he was succeeded by fellow Democrat Ben Cardin...

in the 2006 U.S. Senate election, defeating Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

challenger Lieutenant Governor

Lieutenant Governor of Maryland

The Lieutenant Governor of Maryland is the second highest ranking official in the executive branch of the state government of Maryland in the United States. He or she is elected on the same ticket as the Governor of Maryland and must meet the same qualifications.The current Lieutenant Governor is...

Michael Steele

Michael S. Steele

Michael Stephen Steele is an American politician who served as the first African-American chairman of the Republican National Committee from January 2009 until January 2011. From 2003 to 2007, he was the seventh Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, the first African American elected to statewide...

by a margin of 54%-44%.

Early life and career

Cardin was born in Baltimore, Maryland to Meyer (1907–2005) and Dora (née Green) Cardin. The family name was originally Kardonsky before it was changed to Cardin by Cardin's paternal grandparents, Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

n Jewish immigrants

Immigration to the United States

Immigration to the United States has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants,...

. His grandfather operated a neighborhood grocery store

Grocery store

A grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...

that later turned into a wholesale

Wholesale marketing

The consumption and production of marketed food are spatially separated. Production is primarily in rural areas whilst consumption is in urban areas. Agricultural marketing is the process that overcomes this separation, allowing produce to be moved from an area of surplus to one of need...

food distribution

Food distribution

Food distribution, a method of distributing or transporting food or drink from one place to another, is a very important factor in public nutrition. Where it breaks down, famine, malnutrition or illness can occur...

company. His father, Meyer Cardin

Meyer Cardin

Meyer Melvin Cardin was an American jurist who served as an associate judge on the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City...

served in the Maryland House of Delegates

Maryland House of Delegates

The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...

from 1935 to 1937, and later sat on the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City from 1961 to 1977.

Cardin and his family attend the Modern Orthodox Beth Tfiloh Congregation

Beth Tfiloh Congregation

Beth Tfiloh Congregation is an Orthodox congregation in Pikesville, Maryland. With over 1400 members, is the largest Modern Orthodox synagogue in North America.-History:...

near their home, with which the family has been affiliated for three generations. He graduated from Baltimore City College

Baltimore City College

The Baltimore City College , also referred to as The Castle on the Hill, historically as The College, and most commonly City, is a public high school in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. The City College curriculum includes the International Baccalaureate Programme and emphasizes study in the classics...

in 1961 and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree

Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

cum laude in 1964 from the University of Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...

, where he was a member of the Pi Lambda Phi

Pi Lambda Phi

Pi Lambda Phi International Fraternity Inc. is a college social fraternity with 35 active chapters and four colonies in the United States and Canada....

fraternity

Fraternities and sororities

Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...

. He earned a Juris Doctor

Juris Doctor

Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...

from the University of Maryland School of Law

University of Maryland School of Law

The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law is the second-oldest law school in the United States by date of establishment and third-oldest by date of first classes. The school is located on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore in Downtown Baltimore's West Side...

in 1967, graduating first in his class. Cardin was admitted to the Maryland Bar

State bar association

A state bar association is a bar association that represents or seeks to represent all of the attorneys in a specific U.S. state. Membership in such an association may be voluntary or mandatory for practitioners in that state. State bar associations may be tasked with the administration of the...

that same year, and entered a private practice.

Maryland House of Delegates

Cardin served in the Maryland House of Delegates

Maryland House of Delegates

from 1967 to 1986. First elected while still attending law school, he served in 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, and after that Speaker of the House

Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates

The Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates presides as speaker over the House of Delegates in the state of Maryland in the United States.-List of Speakers of the House of Delegates:- References :*...

until he left office. At age 35, he was one of the youngest Speakers in Maryland history. As Speaker, he was involved with reform efforts involving Maryland's property tax system, the school financing formula and the ethical standards for elected officials.

U.S. House of Representatives

In 1986, with then-Congresswoman Barbara Mikulski

Barbara Mikulski

Barbara Ann Mikulski is the senior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Mikulski, a former U.S. Representative, is the longest-serving female senator in U.S...

running for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by retiring Senator Charles Mathias, Cardin ran for Mikulski’s seat representing the 3rd Congressional District. Cardin won the Democratic nomination with 82 percent of the vote and became Congressman in the general election with 79 percent of the vote against a perennial candidate, Republican Ross Z. Pierpont.
Cardin was reelected nine times, rarely facing serious opposition. In the 2000 round of redistricting

Redistricting

Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...

, his district was altered to add significant portions of Anne Arundel County, including the state capitol of Annapolis, to his Baltimore

Baltimore

Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...

-based district. 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 people can store in their 401k plans and IRA

Individual Retirement Account

An individual retirement arrangement is the blanket term for a form of retirement plan that provides tax advantages for retirement savings in the United States...

s was passed in 2001. His bill to expand Medicare

Medicare (United States)

Medicare is a social insurance program administered by the United States government, providing health insurance coverage to people who are aged 65 and over; to those who are under 65 and are permanently physically disabled or who have a congenital physical disability; or to those who meet other...

to include preventive benefits such as colorectal, prostate

Prostate

The prostate is a compound tubuloalveolar exocrine gland of the male reproductive system in most mammals....

, mammogram, and osteoporosis

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density is reduced, bone microarchitecture is deteriorating, and the amount and variety of proteins in bone is altered...

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.

Cardin has also advocated, via proposed legislation, welfare

Welfare

Welfare refers to a broad discourse which may hold certain implications regarding the provision of a minimal level of wellbeing and social support for all citizens without the stigma of charity. This is termed "social solidarity"...

reform. His bill to increase education and support services for foster care

Foster care

Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a ward is placed in the private home of a state certified caregiver referred to as a "foster parent"....

children between ages 18 and 21 was signed into law in 1999. He authored bills to expand child support, improve the welfare-to-work program, and increase the child care tax credit.

In 1998, Cardin was appointed Chairman of the Special Study Commission on Maryland Public Ethics Law by the Maryland General Assembly

Maryland General Assembly

The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is a bicameral body. The upper chamber, the Maryland State Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamber, the Maryland House of Delegates, has 141 representatives...

. 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 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-support medical care for the elderly. He has also received scores of 100 percent from the League of Conservation Voters

League of Conservation Voters

The League of Conservation Voters is a political advocacy organization founded in 1969 by American environmentalist David Brower in the early years of the environmental movement. LCV's mission is to "advocate for sound environmental policies and to elect pro-environmental candidates who will adopt...

and NAACP indicating stances that are in favor of environmental protection and civil rights

Civil rights

Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...

. He was also one of the 133 members of Congress to vote against the Iraq Resolution

Iraq Resolution

The Iraq Resolution or the Iraq War Resolution is a joint resolution passed by the United States Congress in October 2002 as Public Law No: 107-243, authorizing military action against Iraq.-Contents:The resolution cited many factors to justify the use of military force against...

Committee assignments

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

United States Congressional committee

A congressional committee is a legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty . Committee membership enables members to develop specialized knowledge of the matters under their jurisdiction...

Member of the Ways and Means Committee.
- Ranking member of the Trade Subcommittee.
- Member of the Human Resources Subcommittee.
Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe , also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, is an independent U.S. Government agency created by Congress in 1976 to monitor and encourage compliance with the Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE commitments. It was established in 1976 pursuant to...

.

2006 U.S. Senate election

On April 26, 2005, Cardin announced that he would seek the U.S. Senate

United States Senate

seat of current long-standing senator Paul Sarbanes

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 Kweisi Mfume

Kweisi Mfume

Kweisi Mfume is the former President/CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People , as well as a five-term Democratic Congressman from Maryland's 7th congressional district, serving in the 100th through 104th Congress...

, Josh Rales, Dennis F. Rasmussen

Dennis F. Rasmussen

Dennis F. Rasmussen is a Maryland politician, who ran as a Democrat in the 2006 Maryland U.S. Senate election. He lost the nomination to Ben Cardin, after receiving 2% of the votes...

, and Allan Lichtman

Allan Lichtman

Allan Jay Lichtman is an American political historian who teaches at American University in Washington, D.C. He ran in the 2006 Maryland senate race for the seat vacated by Paul Sarbanes.-Early life, education, and family:...

. Cardin won, however, with 44 percent of the vote, compared to 40 percent for Mfume, five percent for Rales, and two percent for Rasmussen. He was declared the winner just after two percent of the precincts reporting.

Cardin won election on November 7, 2006, defeating Republican challenger Michael S. Steele

Michael S. Steele

54 percent to 44 percent. Cardin became the third consecutive Representative from Maryland's 3rd Congressional District to be elected Senator (following Sarbanes and Mikulski).

Committee assignments

Cardin currently serves on the following Senate Committees in the 112th United States Congress

112th United States Congress

The One Hundred Twelfth United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 2011, and will end on January...

Committee on Finance
United States Senate Committee on Finance
The U.S. Senate Committee on Finance is a standing committee of the United States Senate. The Committee concerns itself with matters relating to taxation and other revenue measures generally, and those relating to the insular possessions; bonded debt of the United States; customs, collection...
- United States Senate Finance Committee Subcommittee on Health Care
- United States Senate Finance Committee Subcommittee on Taxation & IRS Oversight
- United States Senate Finance Committee Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions & Family Policy
Committee on the Budget
United States Senate Committee on the Budget
The United States Senate Committee on Budget was established by the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974. It is responsible for drafting Congress's annual budget plan and monitoring action on the budget for the Federal Government. The committee has jurisdiction over the...
Committee on Environment and Public Works
United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
The United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works is responsible for dealing with matters related to the environment and infrastructure.-Members, 112th Congress:...
- Subcommittee on Oversight
  United States Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Oversight
  The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Oversight is one of seven subcommittees of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.-Jurisdiction:According to the Committee's website:-Members, 111th Congress:...
- Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety
  United States Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety
  The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety is one of seven subcommittees of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works...
- Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  United States Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure is one of seven subcommittees of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. The subcommittee's jurisdiction includes:*Transportation...
- Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife
  United States Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife
  The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife is one of seven subcommittees of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.-Jurisdiction:According to the Committee's website:-Members, 111th Congress:...
  
  (Chairman)
Committee on Foreign Relations
United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It is charged with leading foreign-policy legislation and debate in the Senate. The Foreign Relations Committee is generally responsible for overseeing and funding foreign aid programs as...
- Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs, and International Environmental Protection (Chairman)
- Subcommittee on Near East and South and Central Asian Affairs
- Subcomittee on European Affairs
  United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs
  The Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs is one of seven subcommittees of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.-Jurisdiction:...
- Subcommittee on African Affairs
  United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs
  The Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs is one of seven subcommittees of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.-Jurisdiction:...
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
The U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over the Small Business Administration and is also charged with researching and investigating all problems of American small business enterprises.-History:The...
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe , also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, is an independent U.S. Government agency created by Congress in 1976 to monitor and encourage compliance with the Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE commitments. It was established in 1976 pursuant to...

(Co-Chairman)

International experience

Cardin has been a Commissioner on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe , also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, is an independent U.S. Government agency created by Congress in 1976 to monitor and encourage compliance with the Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE commitments. It was established in 1976 pursuant to...

(the U.S. Helsinki Commission) since 1993, serving as Ranking Member from 2003 to 2006. In the 110th Congress, he was appointed co-chairman of the Commission, and is currently Vice President of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly.

Honors

Cardin holds honorary degrees from several institutions, including the University of Baltimore

University of Baltimore

The University of Baltimore , located in downtown Baltimore, Maryland in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood at 1420 N. Charles Street, is part of the University System of Maryland. Through the Freshman Initiative or Lower Division Initiative, UB has transformed from an upper division university to a...

School of Law (1990); University of Maryland, Baltimore

University of Maryland, Baltimore

University of Maryland, Baltimore, was founded in 1807. It comprises some of the oldest professional schools in the nation and world. It is the original campus of the University System of Maryland. Located on 60 acres in downtown Baltimore, Maryland, it is part of the University System of Maryland...

(1993); Baltimore Hebrew University

Baltimore Hebrew University

Baltimore Hebrew University was founded as Baltimore Hebrew College and Teachers Training School in 1919 to promote Jewish scholarship and academic excellence, it continues to be the only institution of higher learning in Maryland devoted solely to all aspects of Judaic and Hebraic studies...

(1994); and Goucher College

Goucher College

Goucher College is a private, co-educational, liberal arts college located in the northern Baltimore suburb of Towson in unincorporated Baltimore County, Maryland, on a 287 acre campus. The school has approximately 1,475 undergraduate students studying in 31 majors and six interdisciplinary...

(1996).

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

St. Mary's College of Maryland

St. Mary's College of Maryland, established in 1840, is a public, secular liberal arts college located in St. Mary's City, Maryland. It is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges and designated as a Public Honors College . St. Mary's College is a small college, with about 2,000...

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

Goucher College

Board of Trustees.

Policies

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.
Supports Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act
Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act
United States Senate Bill S.3804, known as the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act was a bill introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy on September 20, 2010...

, which gives DOJ the tools to target those site owners who are engaged in illegal digital piracy.
Supports the United States Public Service Academy
United States Public Service Academy
The United States Public Service Academy is a proposed institution of higher education. The Academy would be a federally-subsidized four-year college modeled on the United States military service academies devoted to public service....

Act which would found a civilian counterpart to the five military academies
Pro-Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...

.
Pro-India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. As a congressman, Cardin supported civilian nuclear cooperation with India.

Family

Cardin married high school sweetheart Myrna Edelman, a teacher, on November 24, 1964. They have a daughter, Deborah. Their son Michael committed suicide in 1998 at age 30. He has two granddaughters.

In 2002, Ben’s 32-year-old nephew, Jon S. Cardin

Jon S. Cardin

Jon S. Cardin is an American politician from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. He is currently serving in his 2nd term in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Maryland's District 11 in Baltimore County, and is a member of the Ways and Means Committee. Cardin chairs the...

, who graduated from University of Maryland law school in 2001, ran for election 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 himself, who stated, "The next generation's taking over." 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.

Election history

Maryland's 3rd congressional district

Maryland's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district from the state of Maryland. It comprises portions of Baltimore, Howard and Anne Arundel counties, as well as a significant part of the independent city of Baltimore...

|General
||
| style="background:#def;"|Benjamin Cardin
| style="background:#def;"|Democratic

Democratic Party (United States)

Republican Party (United States)

| style="background:#ffe8e8;"|26,452
| style="background:#ffe8e8;"|20.89%
|
|colspan=4|
|-
|1988
|Congress, MD-3

Maryland's 3rd congressional district

|General
||
| style="background:#def;"|Benjamin Cardin
| style="background:#def;"|Democratic

Democratic Party (United States)

Republican Party (United States)

| style="background:#ffe8e8;"|49,733
| style="background:#ffe8e8;"|27.1%
|
|colspan=4|
|-
|1990
|Congress, MD-3

Maryland's 3rd congressional district

|General
||
| style="background:#def;"|Benjamin Cardin
| style="background:#def;"|Democratic

Democratic Party (United States)

Republican Party (United States)

| style="background:#ffe8e8;"|35,841
| style="background:#ffe8e8;"|30.27%
|
|colspan=4|
|-
|1992
|Congress, MD-3

Maryland's 3rd congressional district

|General
||
| style="background:#def;"|Benjamin Cardin
| style="background:#def;"|Democratic

Democratic Party (United States)

Maryland's 3rd congressional district

|General
||
| style="background:#def;"|Benjamin Cardin
| style="background:#def;"|Democratic

Democratic Party (United States)

Republican Party (United States)

| style="background:#ffe8e8;"|47,966
| style="background:#ffe8e8;"|29.03%
|
|colspan=4|
|-
|1996
|Congress, MD-3

Maryland's 3rd congressional district

|General
||
| style="background:#def;"|Benjamin Cardin
| style="background:#def;"|Democratic

Democratic Party (United States)

Republican Party (United States)

| style="background:#ffe8e8;"|63,229
| style="background:#ffe8e8;"|32.69%
|
|colspan=4|
|-
|1998
|Congress, MD-3

Maryland's 3rd congressional district

|General
||
| style="background:#def;"|Benjamin Cardin
| style="background:#def;"|Democratic

Democratic Party (United States)

Republican Party (United States)

| style="background:#ffe8e8;"|39,667
| style="background:#ffe8e8;"|22.39%
|
|colspan=4|
|-
|2000
|Congress, MD-3

Maryland's 3rd congressional district

|General
||
| style="background:#def;"|Benjamin Cardin
| style="background:#def;"|Democratic

Democratic Party (United States)

Republican Party (United States)

Libertarian Party (United States)

The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...

| colspan="2" style="background:yellow;"|238
|-
|2002
|Congress, MD-3

Maryland's 3rd congressional district

|General
||
| style="background:#def;"|Benjamin Cardin
| style="background:#def;"|Democratic

Democratic Party (United States)

Republican Party (United States)

| style="background:#ffe8e8;"|75,721
| style="background:#ffe8e8;"|34.18%
|
|colspan=4|
|-
|2004
|Congress, MD-3

Maryland's 3rd congressional district

|General
||
| style="background:#def;"|Benjamin Cardin
| style="background:#def;"|Democratic

Democratic Party (United States)

Bob Duckworth

Robert P. Duckworth is a prominent Maryland Republican politician who has resided in Crofton, Maryland since 1968...

| style="background:#ffe8e8;"|Republican

Republican Party (United States)

Green Party (United States)

The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...

| style="background:#9dff9d;"|4,224
| style="background:#9dff9d;"|2.75%
|-
|2006
|MD Senator, Class 1
|General
||
| style="background:#def;"|Benjamin Cardin
| style="background:#def;"|Democratic

Democratic Party (United States)

Michael S. Steele

| style="background:#ffe8e8;"|Republican

Republican Party (United States)

Kevin Zeese

Kevin Zeese is an American political activist who has been a leader in the drug policy reform and peace movements and in efforts to ensure a voter verified paper audit trail. He was on the ballot as the nominee of the Maryland Green Party for a U.S. Senate seat during the 2006 election, receiving...

| style="background:#9dff9d;"|Green

Green Party (United States)

| style="background:#9dff9d;"|27,570
| style="background:#9dff9d;"|1.55%

Footnotes

Congressional Quarterly Voting and Elections Collection

External links

United States Senator Ben Cardin official Senate site
Ben Cardin Senate 2006 official campaign site

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