Sara Jacobs puts free child care atop Democrats' agenda
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Congresswoman Sara Jacobs has big plans this fall: help Democrats take back the House, then pass universal free child care.
Why it matters: Democrats need an ambitious plan and big ideas to resonate with voters, and child care should be at the top of that list, Jacobs told Axios.
Driving the news: Because her district is considered safely blue, Jacobs has been spending time helping campaign in other close districts around the country and said she feels "optimistic" Democrats will win.
- "It feels a lot like 2018, where people are fed up with what's going on and are energized by that to make a change," she said. "Whereas in 2024 we saw young people be a bit ambivalent about the elections, I'm now seeing young people being really adamant about getting involved."
Yes, but: Redrawn congressional districts will make it harder for Democrats this year.
- They need to flip three seats to win the House, and the new maps mean Democrats must outperform their 2024 results by nearly 5 percentage points, according to an analysis from Axios.
State of play: One of the districts Democrats hope to flip is in San Diego, where Republican Darrell Issa decided not to run for reelection.
- In California, districts were redrawn to favor Democrats.
- Democrat Marni von Wilpert is hoping to best Republican Jim Desmond here.
To Jacobs, Democrats can win by focusing on lowering costs of daily life, including child care. San Diego families with two young children spend on average 40% of their income on child care, according to a study from the advocacy group Children First Collective.
- Two-thirds of San Diego families also live in child care deserts.
What's inside: Jacobs wants universal free child care to be a key part of the Democrats' affordability package if they take back the House.
- House Democrats are already working on a bill to lower costs and would make it their first piece of legislation if they win, according to Politico.
Friction point: Providing universal early child care subsidies would cost $784 billion, and bring in $14 billion in taxes from people returning to work, according to a recent study from the Yale Budget Lab.
- But there are cheaper options, including giving a tax credit to providers, who could then lower child care costs.
- In 2020, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) proposed paying for universal free child care with a tax on the 0.1% wealthiest people in the country.
What they're saying: Affordability, but not free child care, is also at the top of other local representatives' lists.
- Congressman Mike Levin told Axios the first priority should be the price of electricity, gas, housing and health care.
- Congressman Scott Peters told Axios he'd focus on lowering utility bills and increasing affordable housing options.
- Congressman Juan Vargas said his focus is restoring funds to Medicaid and food stamps.