After 20 years in the House of Representatives, Ben Cardin’s getting a raise.
Today, he’ll be sworn into the Senate as Maryland’s junior member.
The Democrat, who grew up in Baltimore, will take office following a noon ceremony at the Senate Office Building.
According to Cardin’s longtime communications director Susan Sullam, he will first host a reception for friends and family who helped get him into the prestigious post, thanking them for their support and financial assistance that brought in record-breaking fund totals.
Among the expected guests to the pre-event is the state’s other senator, Barbara Mikulski, who appeared throughout the campaign on her fellow Democrat’s behalf.
Cardin’s November victory over Lt. Gov. Michael Steele came on the heels of a hard-fought battle in the primary race to overtake former president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Kweisi Mfume.
Particularly in his run against Steele, 63-year-old Cardin portrayed himself as a fervent opponent of the war in Iraq, which he voted against from the start as a U.S. representative.
He told The Examiner last month the war is an issue on which he plans to devote much energy toward constructive change.
Regarding the highly controversial Iraq Study Group report released at the end of 2006 that outlined the need for recourse, Cardin said he’s mostly in agreement.
Besides Iraq — which he’ll address as a member of the powerful Foreign Relations Committee — the new senator is on four other committees dealing with the budget, the environment, minority business and judicial appointments.
It’s a vast change from his days in the House, simply sitting on the Ways and Means committee.
