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Cardin makes the leap, announces U.S. Senate bid
Democratic representative seeks to fill Sarbanes' spot
 
By David Nitkin
Sun Staff

April 27, 2005

Benjamin L. Cardin, the studious congressman from Baltimore County who has spent his political career mastering fiscal issues such as Medicare reform, announced yesterday that he is running for the U.S. Senate.

Flanked by family members and many city and suburban elected officials, the 10-term Democrat declared his candidacy during a morning speech at the Baltimore Museum of Industry on Key Highway, then repeated his announcement at events in Frederick and Montgomery County.

He said the waterfront backdrop in Baltimore, with million-dollar condominiums under construction blocks away, symbolized his commitment to the environment and better jobs.

"I stand here today because I've gotten real results," he said. "I stand here today because experience does count."

Cardin, 61, is the third Democrat to enter next year's election to replace Maryland Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes, who is retiring. Kweisi Mfume, a former president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and a former Baltimore congressman, has declared his candidacy, as has A. Robert Kaufman, a community activist and perennial candidate.

"Paul Sarbanes is a great voice for our state and our nation, and I intend to carry that legacy on," Cardin said.

Among Republicans, Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele is contemplating a run and is considered the most likely GOP candidate. Two aides to the lieutenant governor attended Cardin's announcement yesterday. One took notes; the other snapped a picture with her cell-phone camera.

Elected to the Maryland General Assembly at age 23 on the strength of his family's financial support and well-known name among Baltimore's Jewish community, Cardin quickly earned the respect of his colleagues for his intellect and temperament. He was named chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee before he was 30 and later served as House speaker.

"His academic brilliance, his law-making experience, his comprehensive vision and his flawless character will make him an outstanding United States senator," said former Maryland House Speaker Casper R. Taylor Jr. of Cumberland, who was in Frederick yesterday.

Along the way, Cardin developed a reputation as a cautious politician who regularly contemplated higher office but never took the leap. He was widely mentioned as a candidate for governor in 1998 and 2002.

'A different ballgame'

Keith Haller, president of Potomac Inc., a polling company used by The Sun, said Cardin's ability to perform well in a highly contested statewide race is unknown.

"It's a different ballgame," Haller said. "You are playing at a higher level. Whether he has the stuff to really go toe-to-toe with someone like Mfume, who is an able articulator of Democratic positions, remains to be seen."

In the House of Representatives, Cardin is a member of the Ways and Means Committee and the ranking Democrat on the Trade Subcommittee.

He counts among his legislative accomplishments a 2001 law increasing contribution limits into IRAs and 401(k) retirement savings plans, and a proposal to expand Medicare benefits to include screening for colorectal, prostate and breast cancer and osteoporosis, according to his official congressional Web site.

Several officials said yesterday that they respected Cardin's ability to work with Republicans to get legislation passed.

"He leads by example," said state Sen. James Brochin, a Baltimore County Democrat who is endorsing Cardin. "I've watched him cross party lines and it's very impressive."

Cardin promoted his ability to work with both parties, promising to "work to solve problems, not score political points." But he also staked out his differences with the Bush administration, saying he opposes diverting Social Security contributions into private accounts.

Cardin begins the race with a reservoir of support among the Baltimore political establishment, as well as from environmentalists and women's groups. In 2003, for instance, he had a 100 percent voting record from the abortion-rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America and from the League of Conservation Voters. He is sometimes regarded less favorably by business; his 2003 score from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce was 37 percent.

Baltimore City Councilman Kenneth N. Harris Sr. was emcee of Cardin's morning announcement, saying "when there's a tough job that needs to be done, Ben is the man." Lainy Lebow-Sachs, a Democratic activist and former aide to Comptroller William Donald Schaefer, said she would be helping Cardin raise the $5 million she believes is needed for the race.

But Cardin must also work to overcome what is often regarded as a lack of charisma - especially in a campaign against Mfume, a passionate orator who honed his skills as a radio and television personality. Another disadvantage is his lack of ties to the Washington suburbs of Montgomery and Prince George's counties, home to hundreds of thousands of Democratic voters.

A poll for The Sun this month showed Cardin trailing Mfume among Democratic voters in a potential primary match-up, 26 percent to 32 percent, and Montgomery County Rep. Chris Van Hollen trailing with 16 percent.

But Cardin fared best among the three Democrats in a hypothetical general election match-up against Steele. The poll found Cardin leading Steele, 41 percent to 37 percent, in a statewide race.

A spokeswoman for Steele said yesterday that he has not decided whether to enter the Senate race.

In the primary, Haller said Cardin's best chance is if Van Hollen decides not to enter the race and voters do not have a chance to split their support between two white candidates.

Van Hollen factor

Van Hollen, in his second term representing Montgomery County, said he was in St. Mary's County and Baltimore over the weekend, getting feedback from voters about his potential candidacy. "I'm still very actively exploring the possibility of the Senate race," he said.

Van Hollen, who raised more than $300,000 in the first three months of this year, said he has not been approached by anyone encouraging him to sit out the race in favor of Cardin or Mfume. "A lot of people have been calling me, encouraging me to run," he said.

Cardin's announcement yesterday provided a sharp contrast to Mfume's last month. There were no elected officials at Mfume's speech, and few of the powerful lobbyists, labor leaders and other special interest group heads - such as Baltimore Jewish Council director Art Abramson - who were prominent yesterday.

Cardin won re-election last year to his 10th term with 63 percent of the vote, the lowest share among Maryland's eight incumbent House members, all of whom were returned to office. The 3rd District he represents was significantly altered in redistricting maps drawn by then-Gov. Parris N. Glendening after the 2000 Census, a move widely viewed as retribution for Cardin musing about challenging Glendening in the 1998 governor's race.

The new map added more voters to the 3rd District from Anne Arundel and Howard counties, suburban areas where Cardin would need to draw strong support to win a Senate primary and a general election.

"He's always done well in the conservative parts of the district, such as Linthicum," said state Sen. James E. DeGrange Sr., an Anne Arundel Democrat who supports Cardin.

One of three millionaires among the Maryland congressional delegation, Cardin valued his assets between $1.4 million and $3.6 million in last year's annual financial disclosure reports. Campaign finance reports for the first quarter of the year showed Cardin with $215,000 in his federal account, all of which can be used for a Senate race.


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Career highlights of Benjamin L. Cardin


He was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates at age 23 and served for two decades. As House speaker, he helped secure passage of Maryland's school financing system.


In Congress since 1987, Cardin has developed a reputation for working with members of both parties. He counts among his accomplishments legislation to allow increased contributions to retirement savings accounts and to expand Medicare coverage for cancer screening. He is the ranking Democrat on the Helsinki Commission on human rights.

Sun staff writers Gwyneth K. Shaw and Andrew A. Green contributed to this article.


Copyright © 2005, The Baltimore Sun