John Sarbanes

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John Sarbanes
John Sarbanes
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Maryland's 3rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office 
January 4, 2007
Preceded by Ben Cardin
Born May 22, 1961 (1961-05-22) (age 47)
Baltimore, Maryland
Political party Democratic
Spouse Dina Eve Caplin Sarbanes
Religion Greek Orthodox

John Peter Spyros Sarbanes (born May 22, 1961) is an American lawyer and politician who has represented the third district of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives since 2007. The district includes the state capital of Annapolis, central portions of the city of Baltimore, and parts of Howard and Baltimore counties.

Contents

[edit] Early life, career, and family

John Sarbanes is the eldest son of former U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes and Christine Dunbar Sarbanes, a teacher. He was born in Baltimore and graduated from the Gilman School there in 1980.[1] He received a B.A. cum laude from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University in 1984 and a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1988.[1]

After college, Sarbanes clerked with Baltimore Judge J. Frederick Motz on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.[2] Sarbanes spent his professional legal career at the law firm of Venable, LLP in Baltimore from 1989 to 2006, where was chair of healthcare practice from 2000 to 2006 and a member of the hiring committee from 1992 to 1996.[1]

Sarbanes lives in Towson, Maryland with his three children and wife Dina, who he met at Harvard and wed in 1988. Dina Sarbanes is an Assistant County Attorney with the Baltimore County Attorney’s office.[2][3]

[edit] Congressional career

See also: Maryland Congressional election, 2006
John Sarbanes at his swearing-in ceremony gesturing towards his father on the far left, former Senator Paul Sarbanes
John Sarbanes at his swearing-in ceremony gesturing towards his father on the far left, former Senator Paul Sarbanes

Sarbanes sought the Democratic nomination for Maryland's third congressional district after then-incumbent representative Ben Cardin chose not to seek re-election in order to run for the United States Senate seat of John Sarbanes' father, Paul Sarbanes. The primary campaign included State Senator Paula Hollinger, former Baltimore City Health Commissioner Peter Beilenson, and former Maryland Democratic Party Treasurer Oz Bengur. Sarbanes won the nomination on September 12, 2006 with 31.9% of the vote.[4]

Sarbanes and Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon cut the parade ribbon at the 2007 Baltimore Greek Independence Day Parade.
Sarbanes and Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon cut the parade ribbon at the 2007 Baltimore Greek Independence Day Parade.

His Republican opponent in the general election was Annapolis marketing executive John White. However, the 3rd is overwhelmingly Democratic, and has not been represented by a Republican since 1927. Few observers expected Sarbanes to have difficulty. On November 7, 2006, Sarbanes won the general election with 64% of the vote, while White received 34% of the vote and Libertarian Charles Curtis McPeek received 2%.[5]

[edit] Committee Assignments

  • Education and Labor Committee
    • Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education
    • Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities
  • Committee on Natural Resources
    • Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands
  • Oversight and Government Reform Committee
    • Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia

[edit] Election history

Year Office Election Subject Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes %
2006 Congress, 3rd district General John Sarbanes Democratic 150,142 64.03 John White Republican 79,174 33.76 Charles Curtis McPeek Libertarian 4,941 2.11

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c John P. Sarbanes, U.S. Representative. Maryland State Archives. Retrieved on 2007-04-22.
  2. ^ a b Biography of Congressman John Sarbanes. Office of Congressman John Sarbanes. Retrieved on 2007-04-22.
  3. ^ Dina Eve Caplan, Lawyer, to Marry. The New York Times (August 21, 1988). Retrieved on 2007-04-22.
  4. ^ Official 2006 Primary Election results for Congressional District 03. Maryland Board of Elections. Retrieved on 2007-04-22.
  5. ^ Official 2006 General Election results for Representative in Congress. Maryland Board of Elections. Retrieved on 2007-04-22.

[edit] External links

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Preceded by
Ben Cardin		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Maryland's 3rd congressional district
January 3, 2007 – present		 Incumbent
v • d • e
Maryland's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Representative(s)
Wayne Gilchrest (R), Dutch Ruppersberger (D), John Sarbanes (D), Vacant, Steny Hoyer (D), Roscoe Bartlett (R), Elijah Cummings (D), Chris Van Hollen (D)
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