Jon Cardin

Jon Steven Cardin (born January 12, 1970) is an American politician who has served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 11 since 2019, and previously from 2003 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he unsuccessfully ran for Attorney General of Maryland in 2014. Cardin is the nephew of U.S. Senator Ben Cardin.

Early life and education
Cardin was born in Baltimore on January 12, 1970. He graduated from the Park School of Baltimore and attended Tufts University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations in 1992; the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where he earned a Master of Public Service degree in policy sciences in 1996; Baltimore Hebrew University, where he earned a Master of Arts degree in judaic studies with honors in 1996; and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree with honors in 2001.

Career
After Cardin was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 2001, he clerked for Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge William D. Quarles Jr. until 2002. Afterwards, he started his own law firm, Jon S. Cardin, P.A.

Maryland House of Delegates
In 2002, Cardin filed to run for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 11, seeking to succeed delegate Michael Finifter, who resigned to serve as a state circuit court judge.

Cardin was first sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 8, 2003, and was a member of the Ways and Means Committee during his entire first stint in office. During the 2014 legislative session, Cardin missed 75 percent of committee votes, which he attributed to him leaving early to recognize Shabbat and to spend time with his daughter and pregnant wife.

In February 2018, Cardin filed to run for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 11, seeking to succeed retiring state delegate Dan K. Morhaim. He won the Democratic primary election on June 26, 2018, placing third with 23.6 percent of the vote. During the general election, Cardin was targeted by the Republican State Leadership Committee, who sent out flyers attacking him for voting for tax increases under the Martin O'Malley administration. He won the general election on November 6, defeating Republican challenger Jonathan Porter with 29.3 percent of the vote.

Cardin was sworn in for his second stint in the legislature on January 9, 2019, during which he has served on the Judiciary Committee.

In December 2019, following the resignation of state senator Robert Zirkin, Cardin said that he would apply to serve the remainder of Zirkin's term in the Maryland Senate. In January 2020, the Baltimore County Democratic Central Committee voted to nominate Shelly Hettleman to fill the vacancy over Cardin.

Baltimore Police marriage proposal incident
In August 2009, Cardin was criticized for using Baltimore Police Department resources to perform a marriage proposal prank. Cardin was using a friend's boat when police boarded the boat as a Foxtrot helicopter hovered above the boat. According to the Baltimore Sun, Cardin's girlfriend thought she was going to be arrested when Cardin proposed to her. After the issue became public, Delegate Cardin promised to reimburse the City of Baltimore for the costs incurred. Cardin paid $300 to the Baltimore Police Department to cover the costs and donated $1,000 to the city's mounted unit. The Baltimore Police Department launched an internal affairs investigation into the marriage proposal incident. In November 2009, a police sergeant was charged with misconduct in connection with the prank.

2014 Maryland Attorney General campaign
In November 2012, Cardin formed an exploratory committee into a potential run for attorney general of Maryland in 2014. He officially announced his candidacy on July 22, 2013, becoming the first candidate to enter the race. Cardin ran on a platform that involved focusing on cyber fraud, identity theft, and public safety.

During the Democratic primary, Cardin was criticized for benefiting from political nepotism after campaigning with his uncle Ben Cardin, for misusing Baltimore Police Department resources in a stunt wedding proposal, missing 75 percent of committee votes during the 2014 legislative session, and touting an endorsement from Ski Money, a Baltimore-based rapper who had been indicted on human trafficking charges in Baltimore County. Following the Democratic primary election, he called these criticisms "the most negative smear campaign in a Democratic Party primary in Maryland's modern history".

In June 2014, Cardin filed a report with the Maryland State Board of Elections against state senator Lisa Gladden and state delegate Maggie McIntosh, both supporters of Brian Frosh, accusing the lawmakers of "verbally harassing" one of his campaign volunteers. Both legislators denied Cardin's accusations, with McIntosh saying that she had not confronted any Cardin supports while canvassing and Gladden saying that she was never at the polling place described in the report.

Polling ahead of the primary election showed Cardin leading other Democratic challengers Frosh and Aisha Braveboy, but with a majority of voters saying that they were undecided. He was defeated in the Democratic primary by state senator Brian Frosh on June 24, 2014, and conceded to Frosh the day after the election. Following his defeat, Cardin worked as a lobbyist.

Personal life
Cardin is married to his wife, Megan (née Homer). Together, they have two children and live in Owings Mills, Maryland.

Crime and policing
During the 2013 legislative session, Cardin voted to repeal the death penalty in Maryland. He also introduced a bill that would fine speed camera vendors who issue erroneous tickets.

In 2014, Cardin introduced a bill that would make revenge porn punishable by a five-year jail term and a $25,000 fine.

During the 2022 legislative session, Cardin introduced legislation to expand the state's Good Samaritan law to protect people suffering from an overdose from arrest or prosecution.

Education
During the 2007 legislative session, Cardin introduced a bill requiring elementary schools to have 150 minutes of physical education classes a week. The bill received an unfavorable report in the House Ways and Means Committee.

Electoral reform
During the 2011 legislative session, Cardin introduced a bill that would allow campaign contributions to Maryland political candidates by text message. The bill passed and became law.

In 2021, Cardin introduced a bill that would require the state to send mail-in ballots to all registered voters. He also introduced a bill that would amend the Constitution of Maryland to appointed state judges serve 12-year terms before running in a retention election.

Gun policy
During the 2013 legislative session, Cardin introduced legislation that would levy taxes on bullet sales and impose a $25 gun registration fee, with revenues earned from the excises going toward mental health services in the state. He also introduced bills to ban assault weapons, and another requiring background checks for weapon sales.

Health care
During the 2005 legislative session, Cardin voted to override Governor Bob Ehrlich's veto on a bill limiting increases on malpractice insurance premiums and to levy a premium tax on health maintenance organizations.

Marijuana
During a committee hearing on legislation creating a statewide referendum on legalizing recreational cannabis in 2022, Cardin expressed concerns about the health impacts of cannabis use and with drivers using cannabis while driving, but nevertheless voted to pass the referendum bill.

Social issues
During the 2012 legislative session, Cardin voted for the Civil Marriage Protection Act, a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland. In 2014, he introduced a bill to ban conversion therapy for LGBT teens.

In 2013, Cardin introduced Grace's Law, which would make harassing a child with the intent of encouraging them to commit suicide punishable by a fine and jail time. The bill was named for Grace McComas, a 15-year-old who took their own life in 2012 following online taunts and hate speech. The bill passed and was signed into law by Governor Martin O'Malley. In 2019, he introduced legislation to increase the penalties under Grace's Law to up to 10 years in prison. The bill passed and was signed into law by Governor Larry Hogan.

Taxes
During the 2013 legislative session, Cardin voted for a bill to index the state's fuel taxes to inflation to pay for state transportation projects.