Sara Josephine Jacobs (born February 1, 1989) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for California’s 51st congressional district, 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.^[2] She is the Caucus Leadership Representative, making her the youngest member of the Democratic House leadership.^[3]

Jacobs was born in Del Mar, California, on February 1, 1989, and raised in San Diego.^[4][5] She is the granddaughter of businessman and Qualcomm founder Irwin M. Jacobs, and the daughter of Jerri-Ann and philanthropist Gary E. Jacobs. Her uncle, Paul E. Jacobs, was the former CEO and chairman of Qualcomm. Jacobs graduated from Torrey Pines High School and Columbia University, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2011 and a master’s degree in international relations in 2012.^[6][7][8]

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.^[9][10] After the election, Jacobs formed a nonprofit called San Diego for Every Child: The Coalition to End Child Poverty.^[11]

Jacobs ran as a Democrat in the 2018 elections for the United States House of Representatives in California’s 49th congressional district. In the blanket primary election, she finished third, behind Diane Harkey and Mike Levin.^[12] A Super PAC affiliated with EMILY’s List launched a media blitz right before the primary after Jacobs’s grandfather donated $250,000 to the organization. This led primary opponents to accuse her of “buying” endorsements.^[13]

In 2020, Jacobs ran in California’s 53rd congressional district.^[14] She finished first in the top-two primary, and defeated San Diego City Council President Georgette Gómez in the November general election.^[15] She became the youngest United States Representative from California when she assumed office on January 3, 2021.^[16]

During her political campaigns, Jacobs has received significant funding from her grandfather.^[17][18][19] 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.^[20]

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.

In 2022, Jacobs authored legislation to regulate the collection of personal reproductive health data, as in period-tracking apps.^[21][22] Mazie Hirono and Ron Wyden introduced a version in the U.S. Senate.^[23][24]

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.^[25][26]

In 2022, Jacobs introduced a bill to rename the Andrew Jackson Post Office in Rolando after her predecessor Susan A. Davis.^[27] Signed into law on December 27, 2022,^[28] a ceremony to install a new plaque with Davis’ name was held on July 7, 2023.^[29] The Andrew Jackson signage remains on the front of the building.^[30]

For the 118th Congress:^[31]

• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations
  • Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces
• Committee on Foreign Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Africa (Ranking Member)
  • Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations

• Congressional Equality Caucus (Vice Chair)^[32]
• New Democrat Coalition^[33]
• Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus^[34]
• Congressional Progressive Caucus^[35]
• Medicare for All Caucus^[36][37]

Jacobs voted with President Joe Biden’s stated position 100% of the time in the 117th Congress, according to a FiveThirtyEight analysis.^[38]

On the one-year anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, Jacobs wrote an op-ed for MSNBC.com calling for passage of the My Body, My Data Act, which would create a national standard to protect reproductive and sexual health data.^[39]

Jacobs calls climate change “one of the biggest threats facing humanity”. She wants a zero-carbon, clean energy economy by 2030.^[40]

In 2022, Jacobs said she supported Nancy Pelosi remaining Democratic leader within the House.^[41]

Jacobs supports Medicare for All.^[40]

Jacobs called the Trump administration’s response to COVID-19 “horribly mishandled”. She wants to hold businesses and individuals accountable for price gouging related to personal protective equipment and health care supplies during the pandemic.^[40]

On April 5, 2024 Jacobs joined 39 Democrats in a call for Biden to stop the transfer of US weapons to Israel during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Jacobs signed a letter with Nancy Pelosi and including Representatives Cori Bush, Barbara Lee, Jamaal Bowman, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.^[42]

Jacobs supports including a provision to grant citizenship for undocumented immigrants residing in the U.S., and passing the DREAM Act. She supports increasing funding for the immigration-related court system, and reducing backlogs. She supports modernizing border security and improving transit times. She opposes the Trump administration family separation policy, and wants to end funding on privatized detention facilities. Jacobs wants the U.S. to accept at least 95,000 refugees annually and protect individuals with Temporary Protected Status.^[40]

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.^[40] Jacobs co-leads the Child Care for Every Community Act, which aims to create a federally-funded and locally-run network of child care centers.

Jacobs wishes to repeal the tax cuts for the wealthy in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. 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”.^[40]

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.^[43] 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.^[44][45]

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.^[46] Jacobs opposed the Biden administration’s decision to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine.^[47]

On November 18, 2023, Jacobs called for a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas 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.”^[48]

Jacobs lives in the Kensington neighborhood of San Diego.^[49] She is Jewish.^[50]

• List of Jewish members of the United States Congress
• Women in the United States House of Representatives

• Representative Sara Jacobs official U.S. House website
• Sara Jacobs for Congress campaign website
• Appearances on C-SPAN

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
• Profile at Vote Smart