Sanders grew up in a military family on Wright Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio.
[2] Sanders was first elected in 2008, succeeding first-term Representative Scott Kranz, who moved out of the district.
[10] In May 2024, KARE reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating Refocus Recovery, writing: "After KARE 11 reports of alleged Medicaid billing irregularities, multiple sources confirm a federal probe of Kyros and Refocus Recovery.
"[11] According to the Minnesota Reformer: "The mayor of Blaine is an investor in a baseball-themed restaurant [The Ball Park] going up near a planned massive sports entertainment district that may include a taxpayer-subsidized minor league baseball stadium."
Residents have questioned whether Sanders has a conflict of interest, and say the restaurant project won approval in March with little public notice while a now-vocal council opponent was out of town.