Maryland's former Sen. Ben Cardin gives his insider perspective on U.S. Congress and more

By Tom Hall,

Teria Rogers, Sam Bermas-Dawes

Published May 19, 2025 at 12:05 PM EDT

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., attends a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, April 27, 2023. Cardin announced Monday, May 1, that he plans to retire at the end of his third term, triggering what is likely to be a highly competitive primary to replace him in the blue-leaning state. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin was a formidable force in Maryland and national politics for 58 years before retiring from elected office last January.

Cardin joins Midday to discuss the latest from U.S. Congress.

The former senior senator was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1966 at the age of 23, while he was still in law school. He rose to become the youngest Speaker of the House of Delegates in MD history. He served for 20 years in the US House of Representatives, and 18 years in the United States Senate, retiring as the Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee.

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