Dear Fellow Marylanders,
Come January, Team Maryland will have a whole new look in Congress. I’m proud to say that Angela Alsobrooks, currently the County Executive for Prince George’s County, will be your new United States Senator, serving as a partner with Senator Chris Van Hollen. Angela is going to hit the ground running in the Senate with her experience as a prosecutor and chief executive. She and I have been talking regularly throughout the campaign and her grasp of the issues important to Marylanders across our state has been impressive. She has a great future ahead in the Senate and I cannot wait to see her in action.
On the House side, as we say on Capitol Hill, the delegation has some new faces, as well. Serving alongside my good friends Steny Hoyer (Md.-5), Kweisi Mfume (Md.-7), Jamie Raskin (Md.-8) and Glenn Ivey (Md.-4) will be newly elected members Sarah Elfreth (Md.-3), Johnny Olszewski (MD.-2) and April McClain Delaney (MD.-6). Sarah currently serves as a state senator for the Annapolis area, Johnny O. is the current Baltimore County Executive, and April is a former official in the Obama administration. All three bring strong experience that will make them fierce advocates for Maryland priorities in the House of Representatives.
The Senate will have a Republican majority for the 119th Congress. How the House divvies up is still to be determined, but Republicans are closing in on the minimum number of seats needed for control. Many races have yet to be finalized as ballots continue to be counted. It will make the work more difficult over the two-year session, but I have no doubt that Team Maryland will stay united and focused on how they can work together on behalf of the people in our state. As we learned during the first Trump administration, senators and representatives are on the front lines of keeping our democracy functioning and adhering to the rule of law. Ongoing collaboration and communication will be essential to advocate for essential Maryland priorities.
I am sorry to say that they will not have Kamala Harris as their partner in the White House. I know some of you reading this may have voted for Donald Trump. Many others, including a majority of Marylanders, supported Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. I personally thank the Harris-Walz team for running a principled campaign that looked to the future and lifted up American values of freedom, equity and opportunity. In the last few days, they have shown what a peaceful transfer of power is supposed to look like, setting an honorable tone for the weeks and months ahead. The same did not happen four years ago.
I must admit that the election results were a bit of a gut-punch for me. Our nation has been at a crossroads for many years and, in this election, a majority of those who voted chose a path that I did not think this country would ever entertain again.
It also will take time to understand why millions of Americans who voted in the last presidential election did not show up in 2024. As consequential as this election was for the future of our country, for whatever reason, these Americans gave up their voice in the future of our nation and it made a measurable difference in the outcome.
Now, the resilience of American-style democracy is about to have its greatest test in generations. While many have told me the election results have caused them to question their faith in America, I remain an optimist that we will survive even this. It will not be easy, but – like never before – this is a time to dig deep, find hope and keep our values and our nation front and center. And if we can find a path back to civility and constructive debate, our nation will be the better for it.
Thank you for your time. Please feel free to reply to this email with your thoughts on this or any other topic. As my time in the United States Senate winds down, I cherish every opportunity to hear from Marylanders.
In solidarity,
Ben Cardin
