- Sara Jacobs is projected to defeat Georgette Gómez to represent California's 53rd Congressional District.
- California's 53rd Congressional District is located in western California entirely within San Diego County.
- Both candidates on the ballot are Democrats, made possible by California's "top-two primary" system which places the top two candidates in the state's primary — no matter the party — on the November ballot.
- See the live coverage and full results from all US House elections.
Democrats Sara Jacobs is projected to defeat Georgette Gómez to represent California's 53rd Congressional District in the House of Representatives.
California has a "top-two primary" system, meaning that candidates of all party affiliations compete in the primary on the same ballot and the top two winners of the primary election go on the final ballot, regardless of their political party.
The candidates
Jacobs is the founder and chair of San Diego for Every Child, a nonprofit organization tackling childhood poverty in San Diego. She is also the founder of Project Connect, an education nonprofit which maps schools around the world. During the Obama administration, Jacobs spent time working in the US State Department and also worked at UNICEF and the United Nations.
Her campaign platform centered around fighting for racial justice and police reform, implementing a universal healthcare system, supporting small businesses, and expanding access to affordable housing in Southern California.
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Gómez is the current president of the San Diego City Council, the first LGBT Latina to hold the position. From January 2018 to October 2019, she served as the chairwoman of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System.
Gómez's campaign platform focused on economic justice policies, including extending unemployment benefits until the COVID-19 pandemic is over, canceling federal student loan debt for middle and lower-income Americans, and investing in solutions to climate change.
The district
California's 53rd Congressional District is located in San Diego County. It is home to the central and eastern regions of San Diego and portions of Chula Vista, El Cajon, and all of Bonita, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, and Spring Valley.
In the 2016 presidential election, the 53rd District overwhelmingly voted for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton over President Donald Trump, 65% to 30%, according to the Daily Kos.
The money race
Campaign finance data from the Center for Responsive Politics shows that Jacobs has raised $6.1 million, spent $5.9 million, and has around $187,000 in cash on hand while Gomez has raised $1.5 million, spent $1.3 million, and has around $226,000 in cash on hand.
What experts said
According to forecasting by Decision Desk HQ, Jacobs was favored in the race.
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