Maryland Democratic Rep. John Sarbanes, the son of a former senator, announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection to what would have been a 10th term in the House.
“Stepping away from Congress voluntarily — whether it’s at the eighteen-year mark as in my case or at any point — is not an easy thing,” Sarbanes said in a statement. “Because the stakes of what we do are so high and because we trust in our value to the team, the case can always be made to press on to the next election. Our country faces many challenges right now, but the Democratic caucus that will carry forward into the next Congress and beyond has a strength and unity of purpose that bodes well for the future.”
Sarbanes represents the 3rd District, which was previously represented by Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin, who has also announced his retirement at the end of the current Congress. Cardin won the Senate seat that opened with the retirement of the congressman’s father, Paul Sarbanes. The district, in both its current and previous configuration, has not been considered competitive, with President Joe Biden winning by nearly 26 points in 2020.
