Democrat Sara Jacobs, 28, has the opportunity to become the youngest congresswoman, but she has come under fire due to her “crusty, old Marine” comment she made during an interview. She denies it was toward her opponent, but even then, it doesn’t bode well for her since the 49th district, which she wants to represent, has the West Coast’s largest Marine base.

Jacobs is running for the seat that Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) will vacate after his term ends.

She made the comments in a glowing profile Cosmopolitan published about her:

Jacobs seems generally unencumbered by the idea of “how a congressperson should act.” At one point during the community college meet-and-greet at the bar, she needs to get to the other side of the table. Rather than wait for the people on the bench next to her to vacate so she can slide out, she shimmies her body below the reclaimed-wood table, ducking to pass underneath it. She springs up on the other side and smooths out her blazer. At another event, when she’s asked about how she’ll fare with the district’s large military population — especially given that one of her opponents, Doug Applegate, is a retired Marine colonel — her candor makes for an awkward moment. “It’s true,” she says, “I’m not a crusty old Marine.” The group is mostly silent.

Jacobs released a statement apologizing for the comment, saying that she made the comment “to someone who jokingly referred to himself as a ‘Crusty Old Marine’ and then taken out of context.”

Jacobs now has heat coming from Republicans and Democrats. From The San Diego Union Tribune:

“As somebody who proudly served our country and risked life and limb to defend our nation and our families, I believe that no candidate for public office should attack our service members,” Christina Prejean, an Air Force veteran, said in a statement. “We serve because of our innate passion to protect our country. We should never tear down veterans.” Prejean left the military as a captain after six years in uniform and now works as a lawyer representing service members and veterans who were sexually assaulted while on duty. Ashley Hayek, the president and CEO of a firm that raises money for Republicans, also attacked Jacobs for her comment. “What a thoughtful way to acknowledge someone’s military service you spoiled brat @SaraJacobsCA @USMC,” Hayek tweeted, ap apparent reference to Jacobs being the granddaughter of Irwin Jacobs, billionaire co-founder of Qualcomm. Parke Skelton, a consultant for another Democratic candidate, attorney Mike Levin, tweeted that Jacobs’ comment “Seems like a devastating error in this district.”

Paul Kerr, her other opponent in the primary, served in the Navy for 10 years. Republican Assemblyman Rocky Chávez “joined the Marines in 1973 and retired in 2001 as a colonel.”

Chávez has said that the representative of the district must understand “the military and the needs of military families.” The publication wrote that the assemblyman has “tried to assist military families to send their kids to California colleges, or to get young children any special help they need at school if one of their parents is deployed.”

A few military veterans supporters told the Union Tribune that they didn’t find her comments malicious or that she attacked her opponent’s service or anyone else has served.



