California 50th District

The affluent San Diego neighborhood of La Jolla is spectacularly situated between Soledad Mountain and the Pacific Ocean. A 15-minute drive from the city’s downtown, La Jolla (la-HOY-uh) is known for its beaches, upscale shopping, and restaurants, but mostly for its physical beauty and temperate climate. La Jolla is also home to the University of California at San Diego and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. West of La Jolla are several inland communities, such as Escondido and San Marcos, that are also pleasant and affluent, attractively planned, and many with red tile roofs that contrast with the tan hillsides. Also to the west, beyond the mountain, is the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station.

The 50th Congressional District of California covers much of this part of San Diego County. About 40% of its population is in the city of San Diego, including most of scenic La Jolla, hillside Clairemont, Carmel Valley, University City, Mira Mesa, Rancho Penasquitos, and part of Rancho Bernardo. About 25% lives on or near the coast, from Del Mar to Encinitas and Carlsbad, home of the La Costa resort and a big tourist destination. Just inland is Rancho Santa Fe, one of the wealthiest communities in the nation, with multimillion-dollar mansions set amid rolling hills and lush greenery. About 30% of the district’s people are in Escondido and fast-growing San Marcos. Politically, this has been Republican territory but not overwhelmingly so; it is more liberal on the coast and more conservative inland. Democrat Barack Obama prevailed in 2008 with 51% to 47% for Republican John McCain.