U.S. House, California 51st Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in California's 51st Congressional District?
Sara Jacobs has the strongest record in California's 51st Congressional District. Sara Jacobs scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Sara Jacobs's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Ricardo Cabrera (4 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican
Ricardo Cabrera
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 4 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Sara Jacobs
68 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 60
- Qualifications
- 85
- Performance
- 56
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Ricardo Cabrera
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Sara Jacobs
- On the record2026-01-22
Voted Nay on passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, when Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries voted Yea.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 45, 2026
- On the record2026-06-04
Voted Yea on a June 2026 war powers resolution (H.Con.Res. 84) when Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries voted Nay; it failed.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 201, 2026
- On the record2025-07-17
Voted Nay on passage of the GENIUS Act (S. 1582), the stablecoin bill, when Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries voted Yea.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 200, 2025
- On the record2022-07-19
Was one of 17 members of Congress arrested by U.S. Capitol Police for crowding, obstructing or incommoding during an abortion rights protest outside the Supreme Court on July 19, 2022.
Sources: Times of San Diego, July 19, 2022, CBS News Detroit, July 19, 2022
- Credit2025-07-28
Times of San Diego reported that her office had helped more than 4,130 San Diegans with federal casework and that she would hold an in-person Clairemont town hall on July 30, 2025.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Ricardo Cabrera. No public record found.
Sara Jacobs. Her 2025 annual financial disclosure was filed with the House Clerk on June 26, 2026, after an extension, and periodic transaction reports are on file. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10074394, House Committee on Ethics site search, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Ricardo Cabrera. No public record found.
Sara Jacobs. Voted Nay on the GENIUS Act (July 2025) and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (January 2026) when the Democratic leader voted Yea, and Yea on a June 2026 war powers resolution he opposed.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 200, 2025, GENIUS Act, House Clerk Roll Call 45, 2026, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, House Clerk Roll Call 201, 2026, war powers resolution
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Ricardo Cabrera. No public record found.
Sara Jacobs. Held an in-person town hall in Clairemont on July 30, 2025, open to district constituents, and a telephone town hall in February 2025. No 2026 general election debate record found.
Sources: Times of San Diego, July 28, 2025, Office site, In-Person Town Hall
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Ricardo Cabrera. No public record found.
Sara Jacobs. Worked at the State Department and has served in the House since January 2021. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics finding found.
Sources: GovTrack, Sara Jacobs, House Committee on Ethics site search
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Ricardo Cabrera. No public record found.
Sara Jacobs. Took the House oath in January 2021 and voted Nay on both January 6, 2021 objections to certified electors. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2021
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Ricardo Cabrera. Describes himself as a San Diego small business owner and cybersecurity professional; Ballotpedia lists career experience as a chief executive officer. Has not held public office.
Source: Ballotpedia, Ricardo Cabrera
Sara Jacobs. In the U.S. House since January 2021, now in her third term.
Sources: GovTrack, missed votes, Times of San Diego, July 28, 2025
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Ricardo Cabrera. States positions on congressional term limits, affordability and accountability in general terms.
Source: Ballotpedia, Ricardo Cabrera, Candidate Connection survey
Sara Jacobs. Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa; also sits on Armed Services. Serves as House Democratic Caucus parliamentarian.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Office site, home page
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Ricardo Cabrera. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026 and publishes issue statements on his campaign site.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Ricardo Cabrera, Campaign site, home page
Sara Jacobs. Offers an e-newsletter and holds telephone and in-person town halls; her office reports nearly 7,000 people on one telephone town hall. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Office press release, Feb. 28, 2025, Times of San Diego, July 28, 2025, Ballotpedia, Sara Jacobs
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Ricardo Cabrera. Describes himself as a San Diegan and lists a San Diego address with the FEC. No itemized contributions are reported.
Sources: FEC contribution totals by state, Ballotpedia, Ricardo Cabrera, Candidate Connection survey
Sara Jacobs. A third-generation San Diegan representing San Diego. FEC by-state totals show about 79 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Office site, home page, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Ricardo Cabrera. No public record found.
Sara Jacobs. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine record found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Ricardo Cabrera. No public record found.
Sara Jacobs. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.304 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 0.526, meeting expectations (also met in the 117th). Her one enacted sponsored bill names a post office.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Ricardo Cabrera. No public record found.
Sara Jacobs. Missed 46 of 2,915 roll call votes, 1.6 percent, from January 2021 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Ricardo Cabrera. No public record found.
Sara Jacobs. Lists a San Diego district office (by appointment, currently closed for repairs) and help with federal agencies; Times of San Diego reports her office has helped more than 4,130 San Diegans with federal casework.
Sources: Office site, home page, Times of San Diego, July 28, 2025
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Ricardo Cabrera. No public record found.
Sara Jacobs. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -1.16268 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 363 of 436, in the bottom quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Ricardo Cabrera. No public record found.
Sara Jacobs. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in California's 51st Congressional District?
Sara Jacobs has the strongest record in California's 51st Congressional District. Sara Jacobs scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Sara Jacobs's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Ricardo Cabrera (4 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in California's 51st Congressional District in 2026?
Ricardo Cabrera (Republican), Sara Jacobs (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Ricardo Cabrera a good candidate for Congress?
Ricardo Cabrera has public evidence on 4 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Sara Jacobs a good candidate for Congress?
Sara Jacobs scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 60 of 100, qualifications 85 of 100, performance 56 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every California race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the California 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.