California House District 51 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them

Sara Jacobs won · 64.0% to 36.0%, with an estimated 69% of the vote counted · Called by AP on Nov 4

Sara Jacobs (Democrat) and Ricardo Cabrera (Republican) are the nominees for California's 51st congressional district in the November 3, 2026 general election. Sara Jacobs is the incumbent. By their latest FEC reports, Sara Jacobs's campaign had raised $1.9 million (through October 14, 2026). Outside groups have reported $8 for Sara Jacobs and $0 against.

Sara Jacobs (DEM, incumbent), Ricardo Cabrera (REP). 0 ads analyzed, 0 with at least one technique in the copy. Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing.

Also on every California ballot: 14 statewide ballot measures → The ballot wording and the official arguments, read for rhetorical techniques.

How to vote in California

From California's official election office. Each line links to the official page it came from.

Registration Register by Mon, Oct 19 (Conditional (same-day) registration Oct 20 - Nov 3). Same-day registration: Conditional registration, provisional ballot, Oct 20 - Nov 3 (passed)Source: sos.ca.gov ↗Source: sos.ca.gov ↗
Early voting in person Mon, Oct 5 to (Varies by county; VCA vote centers open Oct 24)Source: sos.ca.gov ↗
By mail Anyone can vote by mail; return it by Tue, Nov 3 (Postmarked by Nov 3 and received by Nov 10; drop-off by 8 p.m. Nov 3) (passed)Source: elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov ↗Source: sos.ca.gov ↗
Election Day Tue, Nov 3. Polls: 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. (passed)Source: sos.ca.gov ↗
ID at the polls Generally no ID required; some first-time voters who registered by mail/online without ID may be askedSource: elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov ↗

Checked October 8, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with the official site before you go.

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Money in this race

From FEC filings for 2025–26. Outside spending is money a group spends on its own about a candidate — TV and online ads, mail, canvassing. It is not a donation to the campaign, and the candidate does not control it. Supporting means it was spent to help that candidate win; Opposing means it was spent to defeat them, usually on attack ads. Groups report it within 24 or 48 hours as the election nears. Raised is the campaign's own fundraising, as of its latest quarterly report. Largest donors come from each outside spender's own FEC receipts, with each donor's share of its itemized receipts; donors under $100,000 are not named. People are shown with the employer and occupation they reported. A donor that is itself a political committee is shown with its own largest donors. Companies and nonprofits don't report their funders to the FEC, so the trail ends there, and the page says so.

Sara Jacobs (DEM, incumbent)

Raised
$1.9M through 2026-10-14 individuals $525K · PACs $267K · candidate's own money, incl. loans $934K · from the candidate's other committees $133K · cash on hand $317K
Outside spending
$8 supporting Jacobs · latest reported 2025-03-05
Largest outside spenders
PLANNED PARENTHOOD ACTION FUND OF THE PACIFIC SOUTHWEST PAC — $8 supporting Jacobs
Bundled through PACs
$24K through 3 PACs · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01 JSTREETPAC — $11K from 16 gifts Lobbyist/registrant PAC END CITIZENS UNITED — $7,000 from 2 gifts ZINC COLLECTIVE PAC — $6,200 from 2 gifts
64 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election
  • 150PAC.ORG $1,000
  • AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION PAC $5,000
  • AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD LLP CIVIC ACTION COMMITTEE (AKA AKIN GUMP PAC) $250
  • AMALGAMATED SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
  • AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION - COPE $2,500
  • AMERICA'S CREDIT UNIONS (CULAC) $1,500
  • AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (SKINPAC) $1,000
  • AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY BRAINPAC $1,000
  • AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JUSTICE $5,000
  • AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OB-GYNS PAC (OB-GYN PAC) $5,000
  • AMERICAN COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING COMPANIES (ACEC) $4,000
  • AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $10K
  • AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
  • AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES $5,000
  • AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY & MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES P E O P L E $10K
  • AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AFL-CIO COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION $5,000
  • AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION PAC $2,000
  • AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
  • AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS UNION COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL ACTION $2,500
  • AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANESTHESIOLOGISTS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ASA PAC) $1,000
  • AMERICAN SPEECH-LANGUAGE-HEARING ASSOC PAC (ASHA PAC) $3,500
  • AMERICAN SUGAR CANE LEAGUE OF USA INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $3,000
  • AMERICANS FOR RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION LTD. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ARI PAC) $2,500
  • CALIFORNIA CREDIT UNION EMPLOYEES FEDERAL PAC $1,500
  • CHRISTOPHER STREET PROJECT PAC (CSP PAC) $3,500
  • COVINGTON AND BURLING LLP PAC $1,000
  • DEFEND THE VOTE $2,500
  • DIGIDEMS PAC $2,000
  • ECU $2,500
  • ELECT DEMOCRATIC WOMEN $7,500
  • INT'L ASSOC OF SHEET METAL AIR RAIL AND TRANSPORTATION WORKERS PAC $5,000
  • INT'L UNION OF BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS $10K
  • INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS INTERESTED IN REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION PAC $5,000
  • INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS $7,500
  • INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS LOCAL NO. 12 VOLUNTARY LEGISLATIVE FUND $5,000
  • JANE FONDA CLIMATE PAC $2,500
  • LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS ACTION FUND $1,000
  • LIUNA $5,000
  • MACHINISTS NON PARTISAN POLITICAL LEAGUE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS & AEROSPACE WORKERS $5,000
  • MICHIGAN SUGAR COMPANY GROWERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
  • MINN-DAK FARMERS COOPERATIVE SUGAR PAC (MDSPAC) $1,000
  • NATIONAL ACTIVE AND RETIRED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COM (NARFE-PAC) $1,000
  • NATIONAL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ASSOCIATION PAC $7,000
  • NATIONAL ASPHALT PAVEMENT ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (NAPA-PAC) $2,500
  • NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS OF U.S.A. POLITICAL FUND (LETTER CARRIER POLITICAL FUND) $5,000
  • NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POSTAL SUPERVISORS PAC $1,000
  • NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
  • NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCATION (NADA) $1,000
  • NATIONAL BEER WHOLESALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
  • NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
  • NATIONAL EMERGENCY MEDICINE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE / AMERICAN COLLEGE OF EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS $2,500
  • NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
  • POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEONS--PAC OF AAOS $1,000
  • PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS IN CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT FEDERAL PAC (PECG FED-PAC) $1,000
  • SEIU COPE (SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION) $2,500
  • SOUTHERN MINNESOTA BEET SUGAR COOPERATIVE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
  • SUGAR CANE GROWERS COOPERATIVE OF FLORIDA (PAC) $1,000
  • THE NEA FUND FOR CHILDREN & PUBLIC EDUCATION $4,000
  • TRANSPORT WORKERS UNION OF AMERICA POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS COMMITTEE $1,000
  • TRI-STATE MAXED-OUT WOMEN $2,000
  • UA UNION PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS VOTE! PAC (UNITED ASSOCIATION OF JOURNEYMEN AND APPRENTICE $5,000
  • UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION ACTIVE BALLOT CLUB $3,000
  • UNITED PILOTS PAC/UNITED AIRLINES MASTER EXECUTIVE COUNCIL $5,000
  • UNITED POSTMASTERS AND MANAGERS OF AMERICA POLITICAL FUND $1,500

All filings at the FEC ↗

No 2025–26 FEC reports or outside spending found for Ricardo Cabrera.

No campaign ads analyzed for this race yet.

What this page is

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