Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., announced Friday night he won’t run for the open U.S. Senate seat in Maryland in 2024, which is occupied by Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md.
Raskin, who served as the lead impeachment manager for former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment proceedings, said he will run for re-election in the House of Representatives.
“At this moment, I believe the best way for me to make the greatest difference in American politics in 2024 and beyond is this: to run for re-election to the House of Representatives in Maryland’s extraordinary 8th District,” Raskin said in a statement. “To mobilize thousands of Democracy Summer Fellows and raise millions of dollars and everyone’s spirit to fortify and build up Democratic majorities in the House and Senate.
“I am profoundly grateful not only to those who have encouraged me on this exciting path but also to those from all over Maryland who have strongly encouraged me to run for the U.S. Senate seat being left vacant by Sen. Ben Cardin.”
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Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., speaks during a House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic hearing in Washington, D.C., March 8, 2023. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Raskin entered remission in April after completing chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
“Tuesday I thanked nurses, doctors & pharmacists at @MedStarGUH who serve with splendid kindness—and saved my life over 5 months. I finished 6 rounds of 5-day chemo sessions—which they organized so I didn’t have to miss votes or hearings—and I rang the bell! A new chapter begins,” Raskin wrote in an April tweet.
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Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., speaks during a hearing of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., July 12, 2022. ( Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Raskin said that “If these were normal times,” he would be “pretty sure” he’d run for senate.
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U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., listens during a committee meeting investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol at Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill Oct. 19, 2021, in Washington, D.C. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
“But these are not normal times, and we are still in the fight of our lives for democratic institutions, freedom and basic social progress in America as well as human rights and opportunity for people all over the world,” he said.
“If I had two political careers, I would gladly give one of them to the year-and-a-half campaign for the Senate, a prospect that remains alluring to me because of my profound love for our state and the incredible people who live here. I would even be open to restarting my political career as Senator No. 99 or 100 at the bottom of a new institution.”
