GOP Endorsement Eludes Indicted California Congressman Duncan Hunter
Hunter argued that he was the best candidate for the job despite his approaching federal trial.
AP
LOADINGERROR LOADING
LOS ANGELES (AP) — In a sign of a turbulent campaign to come, indicted U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter failed to win the endorsement Monday of his local Republican Party after arguing that he is the best candidate for the job despite his approaching federal trial.
Hunter faced significant odds of winning the two-third support he needed for the nod from the San Diego Republican Party, with several other GOP candidates dividing the vote, including former Rep. Darrell Issa. But it’s nonetheless an unwelcome result for a campaign widely seen as vulnerable.
Advertisement
In remarks at a party forum in San Diego that were at turns fiery and defiant, the Southern California congressman suggested his rival candidates should look elsewhere for political opportunities.
“I’ve got this seat,” Hunter said, with three other candidates seated beside him.
“I’ve won this seat in the worst of times. I’m still fighting from this seat. I’m still fighting for you,” he said.
The party did not release the vote tallies for each candidate.
The federal charges against the 42-year-old lawmaker came up only glancingly throughout the hour-long forum, but they are an overarching issue in a contest in which the Republican candidates largely agree on immigration, opposition to abortion, defense of the Second Amendment and support for President Donald Trump.
Advertisement
His trial is scheduled to begin in January. Hunter and his wife were charged with misspending more than $200,000 in campaign funds on vacations, bar tabs and other personal expenses.
Margaret Hunter, who served as the congressman’s campaign chairwoman, later pleaded guilty to one count of corruption and agreed to testify against her husband. Prosecutors have also charged that Duncan Hunter used campaign money to finance romantic flings with lobbyists and congressional aides.
Hunter has pleaded not guilty and has called the charges a politically motivated attempt to drive him from office.
Hunter referred to the charges in his initial statement at the forum, while appearing to depict Issa and radio personality Carl DeMaio as interlopers unfamiliar with his district.
Hunter noted that he carried the Republican-leaning 50th District in 2018 even after being charged, in a year when Democrats seized a string of Republican-held congressional seats in the state in a rout.
Advertisement
“I’m not going to move somewhere and fight for the easy seat,” Hunter said in what appeared to be another dig at his challengers.
“Even when Democrat operatives in a U.S. Attorney’s Office indicted me months before my election, tried to steal my seat, I still won,” he said.
Issa, DeMaio and state Sen. Brian Jones steered away from direct attacks on Hunter, whose father held the seat in Congress before him.
Issa, who was known as one of President Barack Obama’s chief antagonists in Congress, appeared to hint at Hunter’s legal problems indirectly, at one point asking, “Do you have someone who arrives able to lead on day one?”
Republicans have a voter registration advantage in the 50th District, which covers east San Diego County and a small part of southern Riverside County.
Advertisement
The district represents something of a Republican outpost in a state where Democrats dominate statewide politics. Hunter narrowly survived a 2018 challenge, when Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar came within 3.4 percentage points of winning the seat in his first run for Congress.
Hunter depicted himself as more than capable of holding the seat and doing his job in Washington, despite his legal troubles.
The combat veteran said, “As a United States Marine, what we do is we stand up and we fight. And we fight.”
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.