Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland won't run for reelection

Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland won't seek reelection in 2024, opening a rare U.S. Senate seat in the state that neighbors Washington, D.C.

"I am proud of all I have done for Maryland," Cardin said in a statement. "I have given my heart and soul to our great state, and I thank Marylanders for trusting me as your representative for all these years. ... I have run my last election and will not be on the ballot in 2024, but there is still much work to be done." 

Cardin, 79, has spent most of his adult life in politics, and first joined the U.S. Senate in 2007. He joined the U.S. House in 1987, and before that, he was the speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates.