Indicted Trump loving Representative Duncan Hunter failed to receive the San Diego county Republican Party endorsement for the congressional seat he currently holds. None of the four potential candidates for the 50th Congressional district seat received the two thirds majority at the Party’s forum this week.
Three other Republicans have announced their candidacy for Hunter’s seat, based on the assumption that he is likely to be convicted at his Federal trial for using $250,000 of campaign contributions for personal spending – including some big ticket spending to finance multiple extra-marital affairs.
His announced Republican opponents include former long term 49th district representative, Darrell Issa; conservative talk radio host, Carl DeMaio and state Senator Brian Jones.
The local party did not publicly release the results of its vote, but a photo obtained by the San Diego Union-Tribune showed that DeMaio earned 21 of the 49 delegates' votes, while Jones and Hunter earned 14 each. Issa did not receive any.
The delegate vote appeared to bolster DeMaio’s narrative that he is the front-runner in the race despite two other candidates having longtime congressional experience in the area.
Hunter who, after his indictment in 2018, won his bright red district by just 3.4%, doesn’t plan to step aside.
Hunter, whose January trial date could be pushed back to as late as 2021 as a separate appeals process plays out, indicated Monday that he did not intend to quietly bow out of the race.
“I’m going to stay in my district and fight and fight and fight,” he said.
California’s “top two” primary system likely will provide a dog fight among the Republicans, while Hunter’s 2018 opponent, Ammar Campa-Najjar, is already actively fund raising and campaigning in the district. Despite the strong Republican lean of the 50th, Campa-Najjar has a shot, particularly if Hunter manages to prevail over his Republican opponents.