U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD) announced Thursday that his ninth term in Congress will be his last as he plans not to seek re-election in 2024.
Sarbanes, who will have represented Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District for 18 years at the end of his current term, said it was a difficult decision not to run again, but he is hopeful about the direction of the Democratic party.
“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.”
He continued, “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. Our new leadership is making all the right moves to bring Democrats back into the majority in January 2025. It makes me hopeful about America’s prospects at this moment when I am pivoting in a new direction.”
Sarbanes’ decision comes nearly six months after a similar announcement by his Maryland colleague in the upper chamber, U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, who said he too will not run for re-election in 2024.
Cardin’s announcement set in motion a race to fill his seat, with a crowded field emerging on the Democratic side. However, after Montgomery County Councilman Will Jawando announced last week that he was dropping out of the U.S. Senate race, the race appears to have narrowed to a matchup between frontrunners Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and U.S. Rep. David Trone.
Now, the doors have opened for another congressional race in Maryland. Sarbanes said he wanted to make the announcement to give time for candidates interested in running for his seat next year.
In the meantime, Sarbanes said he is “committed to finishing strong” with the 14 months left in his term. After that, he is considering a return to nonprofit work.
“[B]efore coming to Congress, I also found great reward in working with nonprofits, volunteering and otherwise contributing to my community,” he said. “That too is a powerful form of public service. For some time now, I have found myself drawn back to that kind of work — wanting to explore the many opportunities to serve that exist outside of elected office.”
Sarbanes highlighted his advocacy of health care, the environment, and other issues as a member of the House’s Energy and Commerce Committee.
Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) has agreed to take up the torch of passing the Freedom to Vote Act in the next Congress, Sarbanes said.
“I’m excited about starting a new chapter, but for now, there’s still much to do in the remaining fourteen months of the 118th Congress, and that’s where all my energy and attention will be,” he said.
