San Diego congressional reps reflect on tough year
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San Diego's congressional delegation is looking back on a hard year, including the government shutdown and political infighting, but can point to some accomplishments in 2025.
The big picture: Every representative will be up for reelection in 2026, and the passage of Prop. 50 could alter who holds those seats.
- Axios reached out to all five congressional members and heard from four of them about their reflections on the year. Republican Rep. Darrell Issa did not respond.
Democrat Rep. Sara Jacobs told Axios it's "been an incredibly difficult year for our community, for our country" because San Diego is a border and military region.
Her wins: Jacobs said getting her IVF for Military Families Act passed through the House and Senate was an accomplishment, even though it was cut from the final law.
- She's pursuing it again and is optimistic it will pass next year.
- Other wins include getting 1,400 San Diegans federal money owed to them, she said.
- Jacobs pointed to oversight work as well, including of Guantanamo Bay and the ICE detention center at Otay Mesa.
What's next: "I'm putting it in the universe that we will pass IVF coverage for military families into law next year," Jacobs said.
- She also has plans for legislation "to reimagine our existing child care and housing systems to make them actually affordable."
Democrat Rep. Mike Levin told Axios one of the biggest challenges was fighting for the extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits.
- "I hear daily from constituents who are worried about their premiums doubling and the impossible choices their families will face," he said.
His wins: Levin is proud of getting federal funding for local projects, including over $77 million for Camp Pendleton.
What's next: "I will continue to be focused on tackling the looming health care crisis, lowering costs that are crushing families, and securing more federal funding to improve communities," he said.
Democrat Rep. Scott Peters said the biggest challenge was "the lack of independence displayed by Republicans in Congress."
- "We are supposed to be a check on the president the way our Constitution intended," he said.
His wins: Peters said he's secured more than $23 million in veterans and military benefits, Social Security payments, federal tax refunds and other federal benefits for locals.
What's next: Peters hopes to pass clean energy legislation that builds on his ePermit Act to digitize the permitting process and Fix Our Forests Act to expedite forest management projects.
Democrat Rep. Juan Vargas told Axios in the past year, "we've seen an out-of-control anti-immigrant agenda, costs go up on nearly everything, and daily attacks on our Constitution and civil liberties."
His wins: Introducing legislation to stop data sharing with ICE, continuing to fight to combat pollution in the Tijuana River Valley, conducting oversight at detention facilities in San Diego and pushing back against cuts to programs families rely on.
What's next: "I'm going to fight to make sure our economy works for everyone – not just the extremely wealthy and well-connected," he said.