Paul Spyros Sarbanes (Greek: Παύλος Σπύρος Σαρμπάνης) (born February 3, 1933), a Democrat, is a former Unite States Senator who represented the state of Maryland. Sarbanes was the longest-serving senator in Maryland history, having served from 1977 until 2007. He did not seek re-election in 2006 and was then replaced by Ben Cardin. Sarbanes was known for his low-key style, often shunning the limelight over his 30-year Senate career. However, he did lend his name to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which put his name in the headlines.