A Democratic congressional candidate in California’s 48th District faces intense criticism for allegedly exaggerating his military service and using a Korean War veteran’s gravesite as a campaign photo backdrop.
Military Record Questions Surface
Ammar Campa-Najjar, who joined the Navy Reserve in 2023, refers to himself as a ‘Navy Officer’ in his campaign materials. Navy guidelines require reservists to clearly state their reserve status during political activities to prevent public confusion.
Controversial Gravesite Photo Op
Images on Campa-Najjar’s campaign website show him posing at Massachusetts National Cemetery near the grave of Richard K. Stephenson, a Korean War veteran who died in 1997. The candidate had no personal connection to Stephenson.
A campaign spokesperson states the photo was taken during an official Memorial Day event where Campa-Najjar and his unit honored fallen service members. ‘At no point did the campaign engage in political activity at a VA cemetery, and any suggestion otherwise misrepresents the facts and rules,’ the spokesperson clarified.
Veterans Withdraw Support
Navy combat veteran Elizabeth Perez-Rodriguez, a former supporter, has ended her backing. ‘I supported Ammar in the past, but won’t again,’ she stated. Perez-Rodriguez described the actions as abominable: ‘As a combat veteran, I can’t stand when political candidates exploit the uniform for politics and using a veteran’s gravesite in your campaign is toxic and disrespectful.’
Marine Corps combat veteran Brian Van Riper echoed the outrage: ‘Our national cemeteries are sacred ground – not political backdrops. Using a service member’s gravesite at a VA cemetery for political campaign photos is among the most disrespectful, distasteful and cynical political ploys I’ve ever seen.’
Political Background and Funding
Campa-Najjar, 37, has lost three prior races: two congressional bids and one for mayor of Chula Vista. Rep. Sara Jacobs, his girlfriend since 2019 and granddaughter of Qualcomm founder Irwin M. Jacobs (net worth $1.2 billion), along with her family, contributed over $200,000 to those campaigns, per records.
Critics label Campa-Najjar an ideological chameleon for shifting positions. In 2018, he aligned with Bernie Sanders. In 2020, he vowed to investigate Trump, Biden, and Hillary Clinton, opposed abortion, and hosted an event attendee later linked to January 6. Recently, he affirmed support for abortion rights: ‘I believe every woman has a right to choose what to do with her own body. Sara would not be with me if that were not true.’
He also posted family-like photos with a woman and children, fueling perceptions of inconsistency.
Competitive District Race
Campa-Najjar seeks the seat of retiring Republican Rep. Darrell Issa. Redistricting by Gov. Gavin Newsom has favored Democrats. Primary opponents include Democrat Marni von Wilpert, a San Diego City Councilmember, and Republican Jim Desmond. The primary occurs June 2.
