Sara Jacobs

Meet Sara

" I’ve dedicated my career to building a better, safer world. That means working with people from all backgrounds to find common ground and make progress for those who need it most. "

Congresswoman Sara Jacobs proudly represents California’s 51st Congressional District – including the Cities of San Diego, El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, and the unincorporated communities of Spring Valley and La Presa. First elected in 2020, she is currently in her third term.

Sara sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where she is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Africa, and on the House Armed Services Committee.

At 36, Sara is one of the youngest Members of Congress serving in the 119th Congress. She gives San Diegans a voice on some of the most important issues facing the world today, as a member of the Democratic House Steering and Policy Committee, Co-Chair on the Protection of Civilians in Conflict Caucus, and as Vice Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, where she also serves as Co-Chair of the Transgender Equality Task Force.

Sara served in policy positions at the U.S. State Department during the Obama Administration, UNICEF, and the United Nations, and as a Scholar in Residence at the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego. She was also proud to use her expertise to serve as a foreign policy advisor to Secretary Hillary Clinton during her 2016 campaign for president, and as the founding CEO of Project Connect, an education non-profit dedicated to closing the opportunity gap for students around the world by mapping and connecting schools to the Internet. Project Connect was so successful that it is now a flagship part of UNICEF’s work around the world.

Prior to Congress, Sara also served as the founding Chair of San Diego for Every Child: The Coalition to End Child Poverty. Since its inception in fall of 2018, San Diego for Every Child has grown into a broad coalition of groups working toward the goal of halving the experience of childhood poverty in San Diego County by 2030.

Sara grew up in our San Diego community and is a proud graduate of the San Diego public school system. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a Master of International Affairs degree in International Security Policy and Conflict Resolution, both from Columbia University.

Why I'm Running

I’m running for Congress because I believe we don’t have to settle for the way things have always been done.

This is an all-hands-on-deck time. Our children and families can’t wait for a dysfunctional Washington to start paying attention. Our country is at a defining moment, and I believe it's more important than ever to have representatives who are willing to listen to each other, respect one another, and actually get something done.

We need a new generation of leadership — leaders who represent our values, not career politicians just looking for the next step up.

Like many women running all across the country, this isn’t the path I had envisioned for myself. But this is the path that this moment demands. Because our future depends on it.

We must act boldly to address climate change, end the epidemic of gun violence plaguing our schools and communities, fight for housing that’s affordable for everyone and health care as a human right, increase access to affordable childcare, and defend access to reproductive care.

With everything in Washington feeling so broken, we have an opportunity to lead a movement for change here in San Diego. We can convince people that government can be a force for good in their lives, that they can trust institutions. But not when Congress fails to get things done. We need a government that is accountable, accessible, and transparent. We need Members of Congress who work for our community instead of fighting for time in front of the camera. And we need leaders who can look at old problems and find new solutions. I won’t accept a dime of corporate PAC money — because San Diegans deserve a Congresswoman who doesn’t answer to anyone but them.

I went to public schools here in San Diego. And growing up here, I know that I’ve had opportunities that many others haven’t. I believe it is my responsibility to make our system fairer, which is why I’ve dedicated my life to public service and to ensuring that everyone has access to the opportunities that they deserve, regardless of where they live, what they look like, or who they love.

I want to serve the people of San Diego in Congress because I love my home. And I know, together, we can build the future we deserve.