Sara Cambensy is an American politician who served in the Michigan House of Representatives, representing the 109th District, and is a member of the Democratic Party. She is a lifelong resident of Marquette, Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula.
Education
Cambensy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education (2002) and a Master of Public Administration (2011), both from Northern Michigan University.
Early Career
Prior to her election to the state legislature, Cambensy served on the Marquette City Commission and the Marquette Planning Commission. She also worked as the director of adult and continuing education for Marquette Community Schools.
Michigan House of Representatives
In April 2017, Cambensy announced her campaign for the 109th District seat in the Michigan House of Representatives. The seat became vacant on May 9, 2017, following the death of incumbent Representative John Kivela. Governor Rick Snyder called a special election, and Cambensy won the Democratic primary on August 8, 2017, with 36.1% of the vote, defeating three opponents by a margin of just 133 votes. She won the special general election on November 7, 2017, with 56.7% of the vote, defeating Republican Rich Rossway and Green Party candidate Wade Roberts. She was sworn in on November 28, 2017, and served until she was term-limited in 2022.
2026 State Senate Campaign
In March 2026, Cambensy announced her candidacy for Michigan's 38th District State Senate seat, running as an Independent. On July 17, 2026, she submitted 2,349 nominating petition signatures to qualify for the November 3, 2026 general election ballot. The 38th District covers almost the entire Upper Peninsula of Michigan, excluding the easternmost portion.
