San Diego nonprofit leader Sara Jacobs announced via Facebook Saturday her candidacy for California's 53rd Congressional District, a seat soon to be vacated by Rep. Susan Davis.
Jacobs said in her announcement this is an "all-hands-on-deck time" that calls for a new generation of leadership.
In 2016 Jacobs ran in a crowded field of democrats in the 49th District and saw Rep. Mike Levin advance to the runoff and beat Diane Harkey.
This time around, Jacobs will run against policy adviser Joaquin Vasquez and Navy veteran Jose Caballero, both democrats.
According to her campaign website, Jacobs served in policy positions at the U.S. State Department during the Obama Administration, UNICEF, and the United Nations. She also served as a policy advisor to Secretary Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign.
Jacobs is part of one of the most prominent families in San Diego.
Rep. Davis announced Wednesday she will not pursue another term in Congress.
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Davis was first elected to Congress in 2000 and has served the 53rd District since 2003. She has not given an official endorsement yet, but did tell NBC 7 that she thinks Congress needs more female representation.
Suddenly, a seat that wasn't on anyone's radar is open for 2020 and will attract a lot of attention leading up to the primary election.
The 53rd District includes communities just north of Interstate 8 from Linda Vista to El Cajon, and areas south of the freeway including Mission Hills, areas surrounding Balboa Park, parts of Mid-City, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Spring Valley, and parts of Chula Vista.
Looking ahead to the March primary, the 53rd is still a solidly blue district. Democrats have about a 20-point advantage in voter registration there. Davis won the 2018 midterm with nearly 70 percent of the vote.
Democrats aren't afraid of her seat flipping, but seats in Congress are hard to come by so there are a lot of questions surrounding who will succeed her and who she will endorse.
