Sara Jacobs

Sara Josephine Jacobs (born February 1, 1989) is an American politician who has been the U.S. representative for since 2023, previously representing the 53rd congressional district from 2021 to 2023. Her district includes central and eastern portions of San Diego, as well as eastern suburbs such as El Cajon, La Mesa, Spring Valley, and Lemon Grove. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the youngest member of California's congressional delegation. She was the caucus leadership representative for the 118th Congress, making her the youngest member of the Democratic House leadership.

Early life and career Jacobs was born in San Diego on February 1, 1989. Jacobs is Jewish. Jacobs's grandfather is billionaire businessman Irwin M. Jacobs, a co-founder and former chairman of the semiconductor company Qualcomm.

After earning her master's degree, Jacobs worked for the United Nations and UNICEF. In February 2014, she began working as a contractor to the United States Department of State. She then served as a policy advisor on Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. After the election, Jacobs formed a nonprofit called San Diego for Every Child: The Coalition to End Child Poverty.

U.S. House of Representatives Elections

2018

Jacobs ran as a Democrat in the 2018 elections for the United States House of Representatives in . In the blanket primary election, she finished third, behind Diane Harkey and Mike Levin.

2020

In 2020, Jacobs ran in . She finished first in the top-two primary, and defeated San Diego City Council President Georgette Gómez in the November general election. She became the youngest United States Representative from California when she assumed office on January 3, 2021.

During her political campaigns, Jacobs has received significant funding from her grandfather. According to OpenSecrets, Jacobs was the 5th most self-funded candidate in the 2020 United States elections. She financed $6,921,255 to her campaign, constituting 90.32% of total campaign contributions.

2022

Following redistricting from the 2020 United States census, Jacobs ran in California's 51st congressional district. She defeated Republican Stan Caplan in the general election with around 62% of the vote.

Tenure In 2022, Jacobs authored legislation to regulate the collection of personal reproductive health data, as in period-tracking apps. Mazie Hirono and Ron Wyden introduced a version in the U.S. Senate.

Along with 16 other members of Congress, Jacobs was arrested at a demonstration in support of abortion rights outside the United States Supreme Court Building on July 19, 2022.

In 2022, Jacobs introduced a bill to rename the Andrew Jackson Post Office in Rolando after her predecessor Susan A. Davis. Signed into law on December 27, 2022, a ceremony to install a new plaque with Davis' name was held on July 7, 2023. The Andrew Jackson signage remains on the front of the building.

Committee assignments For the 119th Congress: Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations Subcommittee on Military Personnel Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa (Ranking Member) Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere

Caucus memberships

Congressional Equality Caucus (Vice Chair) Black Maternal Health Caucus Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment New Democrat Coalition Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus Congressional Progressive Caucus Medicare for All Caucus Future Forum

Political positions Jacobs has been described as center-left. She voted with President Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time in the 117th Congress, according to a FiveThirtyEight analysis.

Environment Jacobs calls climate change "one of the biggest threats facing humanity". She says she wants a zero-carbon, clean energy economy by 2030.

Foreign policy Jacobs wth other U.S. politicians at Kastellet in Copenhagen, Denmark in support of the country during the Greenland crisis, January 2026 Shortly before President Joe Biden left office, his administration determined that the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia was committing genocide and accused the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) of using chemical weapons in the Sudanese Civil War. As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Subcommittee on Africa, Jacobs supported bill S.935, which seeks to block arms exports and sales from the United States to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) until it is certified that the UAE is not providing materiel support to the RSF in Sudan.

Jacobs visited a refugee camp in Sudan in March 2024, reporting her observation of the extensive trauma endured by children in Sudan, under the conflict. As a result of this trip, she stated the US is morally obligated to take measures and stop the selling arms to the UAE which are being sold to arm the RSF militias.

In a December 2022 Foreign Policy article, Jacobs criticized the United States' counterterrorism strategy in Africa, writing that good governance is needed in Africa instead of guns. She was among the first members of Congress to visit Sudanese refugees at the border.

On January 15, 2025, Jacobs responded to the January ceasefire agreement by stating that "we’re in desperate need to repair the damage done to international norms and the United States’ credibility. We also need to ensure that all parties respect and uphold this agreement in good faith. I will keep working until all the hostages are released, a permanent ceasefire is implemented, humanitarian assistance is readily available, and Gazans have rebuilt and have self-determination"

On April 5, 2024, Jacobs joined 39 Democrats in a call for Biden to stop the transfer of US weapons to Israel during the Gaza war. Jacobs signed a letter with Nancy Pelosi and including Representatives Cori Bush, Barbara Lee, Jamaal Bowman, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Two weeks later, she voted in favor of a $26 billion bill that provided both humanitarian aid to Gaza and military aid to Israel. She responded to criticism about signing this bill by stating: "While I’m deeply concerned about further military assistance to Israel, I couldn’t in good conscience vote against this lifesaving humanitarian assistance.”

On November 18, 2023, Jacobs called for a ceasefire in the Gaza war and an end to Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip, saying "It is time for a bilateral ceasefire — to immediately release the hostages; to establish humanitarian access and allow fuel, food, water and medical care into Gaza; and to end the bombardment of millions of Palestinian civilians."

In November 2023, Jacobs introduced a measure to censure Congressman Brian Mast after Mast stated that Palestinian children killed by Israel were not innocent civilians, however the measure was withdrawn by Democratic leadership.

In March 2023, Jacobs was among 56 Democrats to vote in favor of a resolution which directed President Joe Biden to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.

On July 6, 2023, US President Joe Biden authorized the provision of cluster munitions to Ukraine in support of a Ukrainian counter-offensive against Russian forces in Russian-occupied southeastern Ukraine. Jacobs opposed the Biden administration's decision to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine.

Democratic House leadership In 2022, Jacobs said she supported Nancy Pelosi remaining Democratic leader within the House.

Tax policy Jacobs wishes to repeal the tax cuts for the wealthy in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. She wants "to increase the highest marginal tax rate and ensure capital gains rates match that, close loopholes in our tax code, and make sure everyone, including corporations, pays their fair share".

Families and children Jacobs supports the Child Care is Essential Act, which aims to pay child care workers a good wage and helps pay for child care for working families. She is Jewish.

With an estimated net worth of $76 million, Jacobs is one of the wealthiest members of Congress.

She has been in a relationship with Ammar Campa-Najjar (a former Democratic candidate for a neighboring congressional district) since 2019.

Electoral history