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United States Representative, District 51

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Federal

United States Representative, District 51

This person holds your district's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives (2-year term).

Representative Sara Jacobs took 57.7% of the June 2 vote. Republican Ricardo Cabrera took 37.0%. The district covers part of San Diego and its eastern suburbs.

The winner holds one of 435 seats in the U.S. House for a two-year term. A member introduces bills, sits on committees that shape federal legislation, votes on the federal budget and on war powers, and handles casework between constituents and federal agencies. Seniority governs committee standing, so a longer-serving member carries influence a newcomer cannot.

The incumbent has served since 2021 and raised $1.64 million, a portion of it her own money. Her opponent reported no funding and still took 37% of the vote. The practical question is what this district gets from a seat held comfortably.

Sara Jacobs

Sara Jacobs is the Democratic representative for California's 51st District, in office since 2021 and now in her third term. Before Congress she worked on international conflict prevention, including at the United Nations peacekeeping department and UNICEF. She advised Hillary Clinton on foreign policy during the 2016 campaign. She also founded Project Connect, a nonprofit that mapped internet access at schools worldwide.

She serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees. In August 2026 she was the only San Diego Democrat in Congress to vote for cutting U.S. funding tied to Israel's war in Gaza. The measure she supported failed. She has also pushed Congress to act quickly on rules for artificial intelligence.

She promises continued work on foreign assistance reform and oversight of the State Department. She also lists child poverty, protecting civil rights and pushing for AI safety rules among her priorities.

Ricardo Cabrera

Ricardo Cabrera is the Republican candidate for this seat, listed on the ballot as business Owner. They have not served in elected office.

No campaign website, interview or news coverage of their reasons for running could be located, and no vote, lawsuit or other public incident is on record.

With no published platform to draw on, their promises cannot be listed here in their own words. That is a gap in what is public, not a comment on their candidacy.

Record in office

Ricardo Cabrera has not served in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress; these records cover only those offices. Sara Jacobs (Democratic) has served in the U.S. House since 2021 and has sponsored 32 bills in the 119th Congress; 1 of their career bills have become law. Per Congress.gov and the public-domain congress-legislators roster, retrieved 2026-09-21.

Financial info

Sara Jacobs

$1,639,893raised
  • Individuals$414,67627%
  • PACs & committees$207,25013%
  • Self-funding$929,34760%

Ricardo Cabrera has no fundraising on file with the FEC.

Total raised is all receipts for the 2026 cycle; the breakdown lists direct contributions, so the pieces can sum below the total. Figures are FEC filings through June 30, 2026, per the FEC bulk campaign-finance summaries, retrieved 2026-09-21.

Your pick

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