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NH

Sara

Jacobs

Democrat
CA
-53
San Diego, Chula Vista, El Cajon
Sara Jacobs

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Personal Background

Birthdate

2/1/89 (31)

Race/Ethnicity

Caucasian/White

Gender Identification

F

Religion

Jewish

Family

No Family Listed

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

B.A. in Political Science and Government, Columbia University; Master’s in International Relations and Affairs, Columbia University

KEY HEALTH LINK

Sara has studied the health care systems of other countires extensively and believes strongly that any health care system has to have a strong government hand in it.

Political/Professional Background

LEGISLATIVE EXPERIENCE

U.S. State Department Conflict and Stabilization Policy Officer, 2014-2015

2020 ELECTION CONTEXT

Jacobs won the most votes in the jungle primary for California’s 53rd Congressional District. She advanced to a runoff election against fellow Democrat Georgette Gomez, the second leading vote-getter.

INCUMBENT REPLACED

Susan Davis (D), retired

MOST RECENT PROFESSION

Founder and Chairwoman, San Diego for Every Child

POLITICAL BIOGRAPHY

Jacobs began her career working with the United Nations Development Programme, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and at the Innovation Unit with UNICEF. She served as Conflict and Stabilization Policy Officer at the U.S. State Department and as a policy advisor for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Jacobs worked with several nonprofits, serving as the founder and chair of San Diego for Every Child. In 2018, Jacobs lost to Mike Levin in the Democratic primary.

On The Issues

COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Jacobs says her COVID-19 response is her first congressional priority: "My goal is to make sure that we get assistance for our small businesses here in the 53rd District and that we’re supporting families.” She also highlights that it must include the $50 billion Child Care is Essential Act. Jacobs said any equitable COVID-19 relief bill would include funding for child care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jacobs' nonprofit, San Diego for Every Child, has "started the COVID-19 Children’s Fund, helping to mobilize millions of dollars in philanthropic and government funding to support child care for essential workers and equitable distance learning for students throughout San Diego County."

HEALTH COVERAGE

Jacobs supports Medicare for All. She references other countries that have achieved universal coverage, noting that all of them have a strong government role without banning private insurance. She said, "We’ve seen actually that in a lot of countries you don’t have to ban private insurance...what we see in other countries, even the UK... there’s a strong single payer health care system with private health insurance. The same in Australia. Taiwan.. was the most recent country to transition to a single payer system.. .So there’s also a lot we can learn in their transition."

MARIJUANA

Jacobs supports the decriminalization of marijuana and pardons for "non-violent marijuana-related offenses that would now be considered legal." Jacobs has received a B rating from NORML.

MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION

Jacobs has said that, "We...need to de-stigmatize mental health and bring mental and behavioral health care on par with physical health care. We need more funding and training for primary care physicians, teachers, and school counselors to identify and support children facing behavioral or mental health challenges, and work with colleges to provide comprehensive mental health services. We need to make sure insurers are complying with mental health parity laws and increase the number of mental health providers around the country—particularly those who accept insurance. We need to ensure that anyone who suffers from substance use disorders gets the treatment and ongoing support that they need, rather than letting them face neglect and stigmatization."

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

Jacobs wants caps on prescription drug costs and to eliminate or limit direct-to-consumer drug advertising. She would also like to continue to modernize the FDA to accelerate drug approval process.

VETERANS HEALTH CARE

As a member of Congress, Jacobs intends to work to "end the scourge of military sexual assault, by taking the decision to prosecute outside the chain of command and providing more services to survivors." She also intends to work to "make significant investments in modernizing the VA – employing enough staff and resources needed to end wait times, installing highly-skilled executive leadership, providing top-quality reproductive health care, and ensuring that mental health care and counseling are always available – while always protecting against Republican attempts to privatize the VA."

WOMEN’S HEALTH

Jacobs is pro-choice. She supports repealing the Hyde Amendment and codifying Roe v. Wade into law.

OTHER HEALTH CARE ISSUES

She has spoken about the need for preventive care and more access to care such as vaccinations for vulnerable populations.

DID YOU KNOW?

Jacobs is the granddaughter of Irwin Jacobs, the founder of Qualcomm. It is rumored that she is dating unsuccessful California congressional candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar.