In March 2015, 7-term incumbent
U.S. Representative Candice Miller shocked political pundits by announcing her intentions to retire at the end of her current term and not seek an 8th term in 2016 in
Michigan's 10th congressional district. Sanborn was amongst the first candidates to be mentioned as a possible successor to Miller. He formed an exploratory committee on March 30, 2015, which gave him the ability to raise and spend money for a possible Congressional campaign and formally announced his candidacy on April 21, 2015. Sanborn finished third in a five-person field, taking 16 percent of the vote, finishing behind winner
Paul Mitchell, who took 37 percent of the vote, and state Sen.
Phil Pavlov, who took 28 percent. ==Electoral history==