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U.S. House · California's 51st District

Central San Diego, including much of the City of San Diego.

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

RESULT · UNOFFICIAL UNTIL CERTIFIED

Sara Jacobs, projected winner

CandidateVotesShare
Sara Jacobs129,65664%
Ricardo Cabrera72,95936%

About 69% of the expected vote counted. As of November 9. Winners take office next year. Counts can change until states certify. NBC News ↗

Sources re-checked September 25, 2026 · How we research

  • The district's boundaries changed as a result of California Proposition 50, a mid-decade congressional redistricting measure voters approved on November 4, 2025.[1]
  • Incumbent Sara Jacobs and Ricardo Cabrera advanced from the June 2, 2026 top-two primary, defeating David Engel and Stan Caplan. Jacobs won 57.7% of the primary vote (111,765 votes) and Cabrera won 37.0% (71,692 votes).[1]

On the November 3 ballot · 2 candidates

Sara JacobsDINCUMBENTPROJECTED WINNERU.S. Representative, CA-51 (since 2023)Full profile →Ricardo CabreraRFull profile →

Issue evidence — side by side

Recorded votes, documented positions and candidates’ own words are shown with sources. “In their own words” quotes a candidate on the topic without inferring a stance. Votes describe specific bills or motions; they do not establish overall support or opposition to a broad issue. A dash means our research has no evidence on that topic, not that the candidate has no position.

Protect legal access to abortion

  • Sara Jacobs
    Recorded votes[33][34]

    Voted yes on Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755, 2021-09-24). Voted yes on Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 (H.R. 8296, 2022-07-15).

  • Ricardo Cabrera
    —

Stricter gun laws

  • Sara Jacobs
    Recorded votes[31][32]

    Voted yes on Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 (H.R. 1808, 2022-07-29), which would have banned the sale of many semiautomatic assault weapons. Voted yes on Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938, 2022-06-24), which expanded background checks for buyers under 21 and funded state red-flag programs.

  • Ricardo Cabrera
    —

Expand immigration enforcement and deportations

  • Sara Jacobs
    Recorded votes[18][19][20][21][22][23]

    Voted no on Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025-01-22). Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations. Voted no on Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2, 2023-05-11). Voted yes on American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 (H.R. 6, 2021-03-18).

  • Ricardo Cabrera
    —

Raise taxes on high earners or corporations

  • Sara Jacobs
    Recorded votes[19][20][21][27]

    Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent. Voted yes on Inflation Reduction Act (H.R. 5376, 2022-08-12), which added a 15% minimum tax on large corporations and a stock-buyback excise tax.

  • Ricardo Cabrera
    —

Expand public health coverage

  • Sara Jacobs
    Recorded votes[19][20][21][25]

    Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted yes on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08), which extended enhanced ACA premium subsidies.

  • Ricardo Cabrera
    —

Faster transition away from fossil fuels

  • Sara Jacobs
    Recorded votes[19][20][21][26][27]

    Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits. Voted yes on Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376, 2021-11-19; 2022-08-12), which would have funded clean-energy tax credits.

  • Ricardo Cabrera
    —

Raise the minimum wage

  • Sara Jacobs
    Supports[10]

    Cosponsored H.R. 2743, the Raise the Wage Act of 2025 (119th Congress).

  • Ricardo Cabrera
    —

Broad tariffs on imported goods

  • Sara Jacobs
    Recorded votes[30]

    Voted yes on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11), which disapproved the tariffs on Canadian imports.

  • Ricardo Cabrera
    —

Universal, publicly funded child care

  • Sara Jacobs
    Recorded votes[26]

    Voted yes on Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376, 2021-11-19), which would have funded universal pre-K and child-care subsidies.

  • Ricardo Cabrera
    —

Require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote

  • Sara Jacobs
    Recorded votes[24]

    Voted no on SAVE Act (H.R. 22, 2025-04-10).

  • Ricardo Cabrera
    —

Require Congress to approve U.S. military action abroad

  • Sara Jacobs
    Recorded votes[28][29]

    Voted yes on War Powers Resolution on Venezuela (H. Con. Res. 64, 2025-12-17), which would have directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Venezuela absent congressional authorization. Voted yes on War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities (H. Con. Res. 86, 2026-06-03), which directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran absent congressional authorization.

  • Ricardo Cabrera
    —

Research notes & limits

Federal key floor votes and FEC finance totals are added separately by script for sitting members of Congress. Biography: Fix applied to Jacobs's first-elected year (2020, not 2022). Cabrera's birthplace and employer are not published; his Ballotpedia page is the only source found.

Sources · 36

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.California's 51st Congressional District election, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  2. 2.Sara Jacobs · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  3. 3.Ricardo Cabrera - Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
  4. 4.Know Your Reproductive Rights & How To Access Abortion Care · Office of Rep. Sara Jacobs · 2026-09-25 Official record
  5. 5.Rep. Sara Jacobs Led 54 Colleagues in Demanding Answers on Delayed DACA Renewals · Office of Rep. Sara Jacobs · 2026-07-01 Official record
  6. 6.Jacobs, Bonamici, Scott, Murray Introduce Legislation to Overturn Harmful Child Care Rule · Office of Rep. Sara Jacobs · 2026-06-24 Official record
  7. 7.H.Con.Res. 101 - Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran (119th Congress) · Congress.gov Official record
  8. 8.H.Con.Res. 64 - To direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Venezuela that have not been authorized by Congress (119th Congress) · Congress.gov Official record
  9. 9.H.R. 3069 - Medicare for All Act (119th Congress) · Congress.gov Official record
  10. 10.H.R. 2743 - Raise the Wage Act of 2025 (119th Congress) · Congress.gov Official record
  11. 11.H.R. 3115 - Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 (119th Congress) · Congress.gov Official record
  12. 12.H.R. 18 - Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2025 (119th Congress) · Congress.gov Official record
  13. 13.Sara Jacobs · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  14. 14.Biography | Meet Sara · Office of Rep. Sara Jacobs · 2026-10-21 Official record
  15. 15.Meet Sara · Office of Rep. Sara Jacobs, U.S. House of Representatives Official record
  16. 16.California's 51st District election results 2026 · NBC News News report
  17. 17.H.R. 7392 (To impose a hiring freeze on United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and for other purposes.) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  18. 18.Roll call: Laken Riley Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-01-22 Official record
  19. 19.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-05-22 Official record
  20. 20.H.R. 1 (119th Congress) — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: text and summary · Congress.gov Official record
  21. 21.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-07-03 Official record
  22. 22.Roll call: Secure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2023-05-11 Official record
  23. 23.Roll call: American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-03-18 Official record
  24. 24.Roll call: SAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-04-10 Official record
  25. 25.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
  26. 26.Roll call: Build Back Better Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-11-19 Official record
  27. 27.Roll call: Inflation Reduction Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-08-12 Official record
  28. 28.Roll call: War Powers Resolution on Venezuela · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-12-17 Official record
  29. 29.Roll call: War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-06-03 Official record
  30. 30.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record
  31. 31.Roll call: Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-07-29 Official record
  32. 32.Roll call: Bipartisan Safer Communities Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-06-24 Official record
  33. 33.Roll call: Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-09-24 Official record
  34. 34.Roll call: Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-07-15 Official record
  35. 35.Ricardo Cabrera · Ballotpedia (Candidate Connection survey) · 2026-10-21 Candidate's own words
  36. 36.U.S. House · California's 51st District results 2026 · NBC News News report