DemocratNot in office · last served 2025Last on a ballot: Nov 2018

Benjamin L. Cardin

Last held office: U.S. Senate, Maryland (2007–2025). Ran in 20 elections between 1970 and 2018, winning 20.

Last office: U.S. Senate, MarylandBorn 1943

Last margin: +34.5; Won 2018
Elections: 20; 1970–2018

Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Nov 7, 2026, 3:00 PM ET

Career

Offices held, and every time Cardin was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.

197219761980198419881992199620002004200820122016202020242028Maryland House of Delegates, District BALTIMORECITY 5Maryland House of Delegates, District 42U.S. House, MD-3 U.S. Senate, MarylandOut of office

Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)

Every race Cardin has run

Baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year. Running ahead of it means Cardin won voters the party’s presidential nominee did not; primaries have no baseline.

Year	Office	Stage	Result	Opponents	Share	Margin	Raised	Baseline
2018	U.S. Senate, Maryland	General	Won	Tony Campbell (R), Neal Simon (I), Arvin Vohra (L)	64.9%	D+34.5	$4.1M	D+28.0
2012	U.S. Senate, Maryland	General	Won	Daniel John Bongino (R), S. Rob Sobhani (I), Dean Ahmad (L)	56%	D+29.6	$5.6M	D+26.6
2006	U.S. Senate, Maryland	General	Won	Michael S. Steele (R), Kevin Zeese (G)	54.2%	D+10.0	$8.8M	D+13.1
2004	U.S. House, MD-3	General	Won	Robert P. Duckworth (R), Patsy Allen (G)	63.4%	D+29.6	$941.4K	—
2002	U.S. House, MD-3	General	Won	Scott Conwell (R)	65.8%	D+31.6	$713.5K	—
2000	U.S. House, MD-3	General	Won	Colin Harby (R), Joe Pomykala (L)	75.7%	D+51.6	$740.7K	—
1998	U.S. House, MD-3	General	Won	Colin Harby (R)	77.6%	D+55.2	$638.6K	—
1996	U.S. House, MD-3	General	Won	Patrick L. McDonough (R)	67.3%	D+34.6	$527.2K	—
1994	U.S. House, MD-3	General	Won	Robert Ryan Tousey (R)	71%	D+41.9	$493.5K	—
1992	U.S. House, MD-3	General	Won	William T. S. Bricker (R)	73.5%	D+47.0	$591.2K	—
1990	U.S. House, MD-3	General	Won	Harwood Nichols (R)	69.7%	D+39.5	$532.8K	—
1988	U.S. House, MD-3	General	Won	Ross Z. Pierpont (R)	72.9%	D+45.8	$405.8K	—
1986	U.S. House, MD-3	General	Won	Ross Z. Pierpont (R)	79.1%	D+58.2	$648.4K	—
1982	Maryland House of Delegates, District 42	General	Won	James W. Campbell (D), Sandy Rosenberg (D), Allen G. Shoemaker (R)	31.2%	D+0.5	—	—
1982	Maryland House of Delegates, District 42	Primary	Won	James W. Campbell (D), Sandy Rosenberg (D), Steven V. Sklar (D)	24.2%	+6.2	—	—
1978	Maryland House of Delegates, District 42	General	Won	Steven V. Sklar (D), David B. Shapiro (D), David R. Blumberg (R)	31.4%	D+0.8	—	—
1978	Maryland House of Delegates, District 42	Primary	Won	Steven V. Sklar (D), David B. Shapiro (D), Andrew McGill Whelan (D)	22.6%	+6.2	—	—
1974	Maryland House of Delegates, District 42	General	Won	Steven V. Sklar (D), Murray Abramson (D)	33.8%	D+0.3	—	—
1974	Maryland House of Delegates, District 42	Primary	Won	Steven V. Sklar (D), Murray Abramson (D), Leonard Paul Siger (D)	31%	+1.7	—	—
1970	Maryland House of Delegates, Baltimore city 5	General	Won	Alan M. Resnick (D), Murray Abramson (D), Sol J. Friedman (D)	12.1%	R+0.4	—	—