This article or section contains information about one or more candidates in an upcoming or ongoing election. Content may change dramatically as the election approaches and unfolds.

Duncan Lee Hunter (born May 31, 1948) is an American politician who has been a Republican member of the House of Representatives since 1981 from California's 52nd congressional district in northern and eastern San Diego. It was previously numbered the 42nd District from 1981 to 1983 and then the 45th District from 1983 to 1993. Hunter was the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee during the 109th Congress. In the 2006 general election, he defeated Navy veteran/minister John Rinaldi, a Democrat, and Michael Benoit, a Libertarian. Hunter was re-elected with 65% of the vote, a 33-point margin over Rinaldi. Hunter is currently seeking the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States.^[1] Image File history File links Vote. ... An election is a decision making process where people choose people to hold official offices. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2359x2938, 389 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Duncan Hunter List of members of the 110th United States Congress Metadata This file contains additional information, probably... The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... California congressional districts since 2003. ... The incumbent, in politics, is the current holder of a political office. ... is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Lionel Van Deerlin is a former United States Representative from California. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 151st day of the year (152nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... Nickname: Location in the state of California Coordinates: , Country United States State California County Riverside Government  - Mayor Ron Loveridge Area  - City  78. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging... Image File history File links DuncanHuntersig. ... is the 151st day of the year (152nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. ... California congressional districts since 2003. ... San Diego County is a county located on the Pacific Ocean in the far southwest of the U.S. state of California, along its border with Mexico. ... The U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. ... Former crewmembers of the battleship Missouri pose for photos shortly after the Anniversary of the End of World War II ceremony, held aboard the famous ship. ... In most Protestant churches, a minister is a member of the ordained clergy who leads a congregation; such a person may also be called a Pastor, Preacher, or Elder. ... John Rinaldi is a Minister and Veteran running for Congress in California. ... See also Libertarianism and Libertarian Party Libertarian,is a term for person who has made a conscious and principled commitment, evidenced by a statement or Pledge, to forswear violating others rights and usually living in voluntary communities: thus in law no longer subject to government supervision. ... The presidential seal is a well-known symbol of the presidency. ...

Early life, education and career

Hunter was born in Riverside, California to Lola L. Young and Robert Olin Hunter.^[2] He briefly attended the University of Montana and the University of California, Santa Barbara before enlisting in the United States Army. He served in the Vietnam War in the 173rd Airborne Brigade and the 75th Ranger Regiment. Utilizing the G.I. Bill in 1973, he enrolled at Thomas Jefferson School of Law (at the time known as Western State University Law School) and earned a BSL and JD in 1976. Hunter worked farming and construction jobs to supplement his income while finishing his degree. After graduation, he opened a storefront legal office where he often provided free legal assistance to the area's Hispanic community. He was admitted to The State Bar of California on December 22, 1976, but has held inactive status since January 1, 1983, and may not currently practice law in California. Inactive members have chosen this status voluntarily and may transfer to active at any time upon request. Nickname: Location in the state of California Coordinates: , Country United States State California County Riverside Government  - Mayor Ron Loveridge Area  - City  78. ... University of Montana The University of Montana campus, 1999. ... The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) is a coeducational public university located on the Pacific Ocean in Santa Barbara County, California, USA. It is one out of 10 campuses of the University of California. ... The United States Army is the largest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Shoulder sleeve patch of the 173rd Airborne Brigrade. ... The 75th Ranger Regiment—also known as the United States Army Rangers—is an elite light infantry special operations force of the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC); with headquarters in Fort Benning, Georgia. ... The Servicemens Readjustment Act of 1944 (better known as the G.I. Bill) provided for college or vocational education for returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as GIs or G.I.s) as well as one year of unemployment compensation. ... The Thomas Jefferson School of Law, commonly referred to as TJSL, is a law school in San Diego, California. ... BSL could mean any of the following: Biologic Space Laboratories from the Metroid Fusion video game. ... Doctor of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Juris Doctor (abbreviated J.D. or JD, from the Latin, Teacher of Law) is a professional degree in law offered by universities in a number of countries. ...  Countries where Spanish has official status. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ...

Hunter married the former Lynne Layh in 1973. Hunter's son, Duncan Duane Hunter (born 1977), a First Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps, was deployed to Iraq in 2003. Hunter has another son, Samuel. His family attends First Baptist Church of Alpine, which is affiliated with the San Diego Southern Baptist Association. Hunter's Alpine, California home burned down during the October 2003 Cedar Fire. The loss topped $500,000, but insurance covered most of it.^[3] Hunter was rather critical of then-Governor Gray Davis's response to the fire.^[4] The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a United States cooperative ministry agency serving missionary Baptist churches around the world. ... Alpine is an unincorporated town located in San Diego County, California. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 2003 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Joseph Graham Davis Jr. ...

U.S. House of Representatives

Initial election and re-elections

In 1980, Hunter was recruited to run for Congress in what was then the 42nd District against 18-year incumbent Democrat Lionel Van Deerlin. Hunter was initially an underdog, but his attacks on Van Deerlin's record on national defense gained traction in a district dominated by military bases and personnel. Van Deerlin did not respond quickly enough, and Hunter narrowly defeated him. He was one of many Republicans swept into office from historically Democratic districts as a result of the "Reagan revolution"; Van Deerlin had been the district's only congressman since its creation in 1963. Lionel Van Deerlin is a former United States Representative from California. ... Any activity or effort performed to protect a nation against attack or other threats. ... President Reagan, with his Cabinet and staff, in the Oval Office (February 4, 1981) Headed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1989, the Reagan Administration was conservative, steadfastly anti-Communist and in favor of tax cuts and smaller government. ...

After the 1980 census, many of the more Democratic areas were cut out of Hunter's district, and he hasn't faced serious opposition since. In his district, he consistently gets over 60% of the Hispanic vote and nearly 70% of the Democratic vote.

Chairman: House Armed Services Committee

Hunter became chairman of the House Armed Services Committee in 2002. As such, he has sponsored legislation authorizing defense department fiscal year activities from FY2004 to FY2007. During consideration of the FY2006 Defense Authorization Act, Hunter offered an amendment to the bill clarifying enacted policy restricting women from direct combat units. According to The New York Times, Hunter's efforts would have "barred women from nearly 22,000 jobs".^[5] Hunter's amendment codified existing Army policy enacted in 1994 under former Defense Secretary Les Aspin that prohibited women from submitting or migrating into combat units or operations. The amendment was subsequently withdrawn in order for a study to be conducted on the rationale and future implementation of the policy.^[6] The U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. ... The National Defense Authorization Act is the name of a United States federal law that is enacted each fiscal year to specify the budget and expenditures of the United States Department of Defense. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... The United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the United States Department of Defense (DoD), concerned with the armed services and The role of the Secretary of Defense is to be the principal defense policy advisor to the President and is responsible for the formulation of general defense... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Political actions and positions

Main article: Political positions of Duncan Hunter

Fourteen-term Congressman Duncan Hunter of California is a self described true conservative. Here is a sample of his position on important political issues. ...

Abortion

Hunter introduced H.R. 552, The Right to Life Act, on February 2, 2005. The purpose of the bill is to "implement equal protection ... for the right to life of each born and preborn human person." In the 109th Congress, the legislation collected 101 cosponsors.^[7] Hunter states that The Right to Life Act "would legally define “personhood” as the moment of conception and, therefore, guarantee all constitutional rights and protections, including life, to the unborn without utilizing a constitutional amendment."^[8] Hearings for H.R. 552 were scheduled for December 12, 2006, but were cancelled right before the House adjourned.^[9] is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The term conception can refer to more than one meaning: Concept Fertilisation This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Parents' Empowerment Act

On April 28, 2004, Hunter introduced legislation that he said could "turn parents into prosecuting attorneys fighting a wave of obscenity."^[10] HR 6390 IH, also called the "Parents Empowerment Act",^[11] would allow the parent or guardian of a minor to sue in federal court anyone who knowingly disseminates material "that is harmful to minors", or specifically, "any pornographic communication, picture, image, graphic image file, article, recording, writing, or other pornographic matter of any kind",^[12] if it is distributed in a way that "a reasonable person can expect a substantial number of minors to be exposed to the material and the minor, as a result to exposure to the material, is likely to suffer personal or emotional injury or injury to mental or moral welfare."^[13] is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Porn redirects here. ...

Immigration/border fence

In 1994, Hunter legislatively mandated the construction of 14 miles of security fencing on the international land border separating San Diego County and Tijuana, Mexico. Subsequently, San Diego's crime rate decreased 53% from 1994 to 2006 and the smuggling of illegal immigrants and narcotics decreased by over 90%, according to the FBI. Pointing to the success of the San Diego Border Fence, Hunter introduced legislation calling for the construction of a reinforced fence along the entire U.S.-Mexico border. After successfuly adding an amendment to a House-passed ^[14] bill that ultimately stalled in House-Senate negotiations, Hunter's amendment was later incorporated into H.R. 6061, the Secure Fence Act, introduced by New York Congressman Peter King.^[15][16] He has said that if he becomes President, the 754 mile double layer border fence will be built in less than 12 months. San Diego County is a county located on the Pacific Ocean in the far southwest of the U.S. state of California, along its border with Mexico. ... Tijuana (Spanish [tixwana], English usually [ˌtiːəˈwɑnə]), is the largest city in the Mexican state of Baja California and the seat of the municipality of Tijuana. ... It has been suggested that Tortilla Wall be merged into this article or section. ... The border between Mexico and the United States spans four U.S. states, six Mexican states, and has over twenty commercial crossings. ... NY redirects here. ... Well-known people called Peter King include: Pete King, English jazz-musician (sax) and manager of Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club; b. ...

Hunter's voting record earned him a grade of A from Americans for Better Immigration. ^[17] However, his recent votes indicate strong support for H-1b visa expansion.

Trade issues

Hunter has repeatedly voted against international trade agreements such as NAFTA, CAFTA and the WTO.^[18] Hunter contends that free trade policies directly impact America's manufacturing base and contribute to the country's trade deficit. Hunter cites that China has a 17% subsidy for its manufacturers, a 17% tax on U.S. imports, and the Chinese devalue their currency at 40 percent, making Chinese goods cheaper and leaving U.S. manufacturers at a 74% disadvantage.^[19] A trade pact is a wide ranging tax, tariff and trade pact that usually also includes investment guarantees. ... Nafta or NAFTA may refer to: an acronym for the North American Free Trade Agreement an acronym for the New Zealand Australia Free Trade Agreement the town/Tokyo of Nafta, Tunisia This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ... The Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) is a free trade agreement between the United States and the Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras, and Canada, and Mexico. ... For other uses of the initials WTO, see WTO (disambiguation). ... Free trade is an economic concept referring to the selling of products between countries without tariffs or other trade barriers. ... Manufacturing (from Latin manu factura, making by hand) is the use of tools and labor to make things for use or sale. ... Balance of trade figures are the sum of the money gained by a given economy by selling exports, minus the cost of buying imports. ... In economics, a subsidy is generally a monetary grant given by a government to lower the price faced by producers or consumers of a good, generally because it is considered to be in the public interest. ... Devaluation is a reduction in the value of a currency with respect to other monetary units. ...

Intelligence reform

In November 2004, Hunter and Wisconsin Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner withheld their support for a bill creating a National Intelligence Director (DNI) until specific conditions were met. Hunter argued that the military is the biggest consumer of intelligence and any reforms enacted, including the creation of a DNI, must not endanger the lives of troops on the battlefield. The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, which created the DNI position, was passed by Congress and signed by President George W. Bush later that year. Look up November in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42°30N to 47°3N  - Longitude 86°49W to 92°54W Population  Ranked... Frank James (Jim) Sensenbrenner, Jr. ... DNI is a TLA which has multiple meanings: The newly created United States Director of National Intelligence The Honduran National Department of Investigations This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 is an Act of Congress. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ...

Opposition to government spending

In a House Armed Services Committee hearing on November 9, 2005, Hunter strongly criticized a Defense Logistics Agency "prime vendor" buying program that led to the purchase of $20 ice cube trays and a tiny refrigerator for $22,797 (initially exposed by The State). Hunter stated that he wanted explanations from the companies in question and the government purchasing agents who had approved the purchases, accusing the latter of "absolute incompetence." He further stated that the purchases are "a real slap in the face to the guy making $13,000 a year who is engaged in a firefight in Ramadi," and claimed that "A fairly large amount of incompetence is embedded into the system."^[20][21] is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is the largest agency in the United States Department of Defense, with about 22,000 civilian and military personnel throughout the world. ... The State is a daily morning newspaper published in Columbia, South Carolina, in the United States. ... Saddam Mosque Ramadi (Arabic: ‎ ; BGN: Ar Ramādī) is a city in central Iraq, about 100 kilometers west of Baghdad. ...

Environmental record

In 2006, Hunter earned an "environmental harm demerit" from the conservative watchdog group Republicans for Environmental Protection for "efforts to downsize Channel Islands National Park by seeking to transfer Santa Rosa Island to the Department of Defense.^[22] The organization assigned Hunter an exceptionally low score of -4 for that year, indicating anti-environment action on 10 out of 12 issues deemed critical; however, REP did recognize the representative for voting in favor of designating wilderness areas in the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire.^[23] The nonpartisan League of Conservation Voters issued Hunter the lowest possible environmental score for 2006; his lifetime rating from the LCV is 9%.^[24] The group singled him out for criticism when in 2003 he and Senator John Warner "succeeded in removing the Senate's bipartisan language and adding broad military exemptions from both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.^[25] Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Republicans for Environmental Protection (or REP America), is a national organization of Republican voters formed in 1995 with the stated purpose of educating and advocating environmental issues and supporting efforts to conserve natural resources and protect human and environmental health. ... The Channel Islands National Park is a national park that consists of five of the eight Channel Islands off the coast of the U.S. state of California, in the Pacific Ocean. ... There are at least two Santa Rosa Islands: Santa Rosa Island, California is one of the Channel Islands of California. ... The United States Department of Defense, abbreviated DoD or DOD and sometimes called the Defense Department, is a civilian Cabinet organization of the United States government. ... Wilderness is generally defined as a natural environment on Earth that has not been modified by human activity. ... Map of White Mountains National Forest. ... Official language(s) English Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Area  Ranked 46th  - Total 9,359 sq mi (24,239 km²)  - Width 68 miles (110 km)  - Length 190 miles (305 km)  - % water 3. ... The League of Conservation Voters is an American environmentalist lobby. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 2003 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... John William Warner (born February 18, 1927) is an American statesman and politician, who served as Secretary of the Navy from 1972-1974 and has served as the Republican senior U.S. Senator from Virginia since 1979. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 prohibits, with certain exceptions, the take of marine mammals in U.S. waters and by U.S. citizens on the high seas, and the importation of marine mammals and marine mammal products into the U.S. Congress defines take as “harass, hunt, capture...

Response to John Murtha's resolution to terminate deployment of U.S. troops in Iraq

On November 18, 2005, in response to Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha's resolution to terminate the deployment of United States forces in Iraq, to redeploy the forces already involved in Iraq, and to "pursue security and stability in Iraq through diplomacy",^[26] Hunter and other Republicans drafted a two-sentence counter-resolution which read: is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ... John Patrick “Jack” Murtha, Jr. ... Diplomat redirects here. ...

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately.

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately.

Democrats condemned the bill as a political stunt; they made much of the fact that Hunter himself didn't support his own resolution. The bill was defeated, 403-3, in the House of Representatives.

Response to John Kerry

On January 29, 2007, in front of a New Hampshire audience at Wilcox Industries in Newington, Hunter criticized John Kerry's recent statement before the World Economic Forum characterizing the Bush Administration's foreign policy as one that had turned the United States into "a sort of international pariah." Hunter asserted that "It was terrible for him [Kerry] to say that."^[27] January 29 is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Official language(s) English Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Area  Ranked 46th  - Total 9,359 sq mi (24,239 km²)  - Width 68 miles (110 km)  - Length 190 miles (305 km)  - % water 3. ... John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts, in his fourth term of office. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Bush administration includes President George W. Bush, Vice President Richard Cheney, Bushs Cabinet, and other select officials and advisors. ...

Call for Harry Reid's resignation

On April 25, 2007, after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid declared "the war is lost", Hunter wrote "my highest obligation is, like yours, owed to our forces in uniform, especially during this time of war...Given your position of leadership within the United States Government, I find your pronouncement of failure irresponsible and disserving to America's armed forces. In light of the fact that this statement has both been used by our adversaries and has exhibited a marked lack of leadership to U.S. troops, I call on you to resign your leadership position".^[28] Hunter further wrote that Reid's declaration "can have no effect but to demoralize the brave men and women, who are honorably fulfilling their mission in Iraq, and to encourage our adversaries...Even if you sincerely believe it to be true, your pronouncement of failure will undoubtedly be used by terrorist leaders to rally their followers — inevitably leading to increased attacks on U.S. and coalition forces".^[29] is the 115th day of the year (116th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... A Senate Majority Leader is a politician within a Senate who leads the majority party, or majority coalition, of sitting senators. ... Harry Mason Reid (born December 2, 1939) is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Democratic Party. ... This article is becoming very long. ...

Military competition

On January 31, 2007, Hunter held a press conference on the 2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test, stating that it "represents the commencement of a new era of military competition in space." He contended that the United States' ability to engage in warfare depends heavily on its space assets, and opined that the country must take steps to "ensure our forces cannot be targeted through an adversarial space strike."^[30] is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... The 2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test was a detonation of a missile conducted by the Peoples Republic of China on January 11, 2007. ...

Voting record

As of July 4, 2007, Hunter had missed 190 votes (31.4%) during the 110th Congress; when he voted, he voted with a majority of the Republicans 88.7% of the time. ^[31] The Washington Post has a complete list of Hunter's missed votes since 1991. ^[32] is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... ...

Retirement from Congress

On March 20, 2007, Hunter announced that he would retire from Congress at the end of the current session. His son, Duncan Duane Hunter, is campaigning to succeed his father, although he is currently deployed overseas as an officer in the US Marines. ^[33] is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Retirement is the point where a person stops employment. ...

2008 Presidential campaign

Main article: Duncan Hunter presidential campaign, 2008

On October 30, 2006, Hunter announced his intention to consider running for the Republican nomination for President in 2008. Throughout 2006, his Peace Through Strength PAC has raised funds and run advertising expressing his issues of border security and fair trade. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Fourteen-term Congressman and Vietnam War veteran Duncan Hunter of California has announced his intentions to run for the 2008 Republican nomination for President of the United States. ... is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... While it is rare for candidates for President of the United States to officially declare their candidacy prior to late in the year preceding the presidential election (in this case, 2007), some potential Republican candidates may have expressed their interest in running in the 2008 presidential election and are listed... The presidential seal is a well-known symbol of the presidency. ... Presidential electoral votes by state The United States presidential election of 2008 will be the 55th consecutive quadrennial election for President and Vice President of the United States, and is scheduled to be held on November 4, 2008. ... Peace through strength is the doctrine that military strength is a primary or necessary component of peace. ... In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group organized to elect or defeat government officials in order to promote legislation, often supporting the groups special interests. ...

Hunter formally announced his presidential candidacy in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on January 25, 2007.^[34] Spartanburg is the largest city and the county seat of Spartanburg CountyGR6 in South Carolina, and is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina. ... is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

On January 13, 2007, Hunter won Arizona's Maricopa County straw poll, beating Arizona Senator John McCain. January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Official language(s) English Spoken language(s) English 74. ... A straw poll is an informal type of voting where the results of the poll have little or no direct results, other than to gauge opinion. ... For McCains grandfather and father, see John S. McCain, Sr. ...

On March 1, 2007, a South Carolina straw poll was conducted in the Spartanburg area, where Hunter finished a close third (by six votes) in a statistical tie with McCain (1st) and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani (2nd). Commenting on Hunter’s showing, Spartanburg Republican Gerald Emory said, “Now we have a true Ronald Reagan conservative that we can support. This is a proud night for the Grand Ole Party.”^[35] is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston(1670-1789) Columbia(1790-present) Largest city Columbia Largest metro area Columbia Area  Ranked 40th  - Total 34,726 sq mi (82,965 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 260 miles (420 km)  - % water 6  - Latitude 32°430N to 35°12N... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... Rudolph William Louis Giuliani III, (born May 28, 1944) is an American lawyer, prosecutor, businessman, and Republican politician from the state of New York. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 - June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). ...

In early April 2007, Hunter participated in what was billed as the first online presidential debate, pitted against fellow Republican Tom Tancredo. ^[36] This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Thomas Gerard Tancredo (born December 20, 1945) is an American politician and member of the Republican Party. ...

On April 17, 2007, Hunter won the Anderson County (South Carolina) straw poll with 48% of the vote. He defeated former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (25%) by more than two to one, and McCain (7%) by nine to one. Giuliani (5%) came in a distant fourth. Hunter also tied for second place in Geenwood County and second place Pickens County. South Carolina is the nation's third primary state. "I am grateful to the great conservatives of Anderson, Greenwood, and Pickens Counties for giving our campaign a huge boost. It is clear our message of maintaining a strong national defense, securing our border without amnesty, holding China accountable on trade, and protecting life are resonating with the voters. Our campaign is one of issues, not flash and expense. We don't have a jet or an army of consultants and paid staff. We do have the conservative message that is true. In the end, that will be what Americans want." ^[37] is the 107th day of the year (108th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston(1670-1789) Columbia(1790-present) Largest city Columbia Largest metro area Columbia Area  Ranked 40th  - Total 34,726 sq mi (82,965 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 260 miles (420 km)  - % water 6  - Latitude 32°430N to 35°12N... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq mi (27,360 km²)  - Width 183 miles (295 km)  - Length 113 miles (182 km)  - % water 13. ... Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947, better known as Mitt Romney), was the 70th Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. ...

Despite the campaigning success Hunter has had at the county levels, it has not yet transferred to the national or state levels. Most major polls do not even list Hunter as an option along with frontrunners such as Romney, Giuliani, McCain or Fred Thompson.^[38] This article is about the actor/politician. ...

Controversies

Size of home and taxes paid

In October 2006, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Hunter's Alpine home was listed on tax rolls as a two-bedroom, 2½-bath house with 2,946 square feet of living space. In fact, the house had six bedrooms and was about 6,200 square feet. The property also featured a 2,000-square-foot guest house, a swimming pool and tennis court. The discrepancy resulted in Hunter paying less in taxes than others in similar-sized properties. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The San Diego Union-Tribune is a daily newspaper published in San Diego, California by the Copley Press. ... Alpine is an unincorporated town located in San Diego County, California. ...

"All I know is what the county gives me," Hunter said. "They sent a person on the premises when I bought it. He said, 'This is what you owe.' We simply paid it. We've paid it ever since."^[39] Hunter noted that his assessment was set at 40% more than the 1% base amount set by California law. Nowhere in the article is it claimed that Hunter did not get permits on his expansion of the property. Any reassessment beyond the maximum legal increase of 1% of the tax per year normally would have been made based on those permits. The Union-Tribune made no claims as to how the County of San Diego failed to update the Assessor's files to match the permitted improvements

Hunter's main reaction to The Union-Tribune article was in the form of a full-page ad in the same paper immediately following The UT's article, including pictures of the "estate" on a dirt road showing the property was in less than optimum condition.

The house in question was burned to the ground in the wildfires of October 2003. As of December 2006, the house had been almost rebuilt, and Hunter was still contesting the assessment of back taxes, which had been significantly reduced.^[40] Look up December in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Cunningham/Wilkes

Congressman Hunter has not been implicated in the Duke Cunningham/Brent Wilkes congressional bribery scandal. Although Hunter and Cunningham both served in Vietnam and as San Diego Congressmen, Hunter has never excused or condoned the actions of his friend. “Congressman Hunter does not condone Mr. Cunningham’s actions, nor has he tried to defend them…Congressman Hunter is a close friend of Mr. Cunningham’s, and friends don’t abandon each other during times of difficulty,” said Hunter spokesman Joe Kasper. ^[41] Randall Harold Cunningham (born December 8, 1941), usually known as Randy or Duke, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Californias 50th Congressional District from 1991 to 2005. ... Brent R. Wilkes (born May 1954) is a defense contractor, who became well known for his involvement with the Duke Cunningham defense contracting scandal. ...

It has been suggested that Hunter had ties to ADCS and Brent Wilkes (who was indicted and charged with bribery of a public official in February 2007), but although Hunter and Cunningham were both advocates of the type of automated document conversion technology supplied by ADCS (which customized a German system), Hunter remained an advocate the American-made product of Tom Casey's Audre. Hunter asked the Pentagon’s chief purchasing officer to "whenever possible, use [document conversion] products that are made in the United States by American taxpayers." ^[42]

• In 1992, Brent Wilkes was a political consultant for Audre Inc, a firm based in Rancho Bernardo and headed by Tom Casey, which specialized in automated document conversion systems. At that time, Congressman Hunter recognized Wilkes and Casey as two “aggressive and enthusiastic promoters of a breakthrough technology.” Congress created a program for the new technology, and Audre won $12.5 million of the $190 million that was allocated for contracts between 1993 and 2001.

• In 1994, Brent Wilkes quit Audre and launched ADCS Inc., which customized a German document conversion system, to compete against Audre and two-dozen other software firms for government contracts. Hunter continued to back Audre’s American-made product. Wilkes and ADCS started donating money to Cunningham.

• Between 1995 and 2005, Wilkes and his associates gave $71,500 to Cunningham's campaign and political action committee. ADCS, in turn, received upwards of $95 million in government contracts.^[43]

• In November, 2005, Cunningham pleaded guilty to conspiracy, tax evasion, and receiving more than $2.4 million in bribes.

• In February 2007, Wilkes was indicted and charged with bribery of a public official.

In December of 2005, Hunter directed that the contributions his campaign received from Wilkes and Wade be given to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund. ^[44] "We had options," said Bruce Young, treasurer for Hunter's re-election campaign. "We could keep the money, send it back, send it to the government or send it to a charity. We just felt that because of the situation, we would rather not have the money." ^[45]More than 100 members of the House and Senate – Republicans and Democrats – accepted money from ADCS Inc. owner Brent Wilkes, former MZM Inc. president Mitchell Wade, their relatives, employees or political action committees, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a campaign watchdog group.

DP-2

According to the July 2007 edition of Pacific Flyer, Congressman Hunter and Cunningham had pressured the Department of Defense to "...advise DARPA to put an immediate halt to bureaucratic delays and get on with the DuPont Aerospace DP-2 testing." The DP-2 is a Vertical Take-Off and Landing, or VTOL, aircraft designed by DuPont Aerospace to transport special operations forces, but has been repeatedly rejected by the Navy, Army, Air Force, NASA, and DARPA. The design, of which all four constructed models have crashed, has had $63 million appropriated to it since 1991, not including a suggested $6 million for fiscal year 2008. Despite the rejections and reports by multiple military and civilian experts that the aircraft will not fly or hover and will incinerate Special Operations forces rapelling out of the aircraft, Hunter has allegedly repeatedly added funding for the DP-2 in "earmarks" and defended the aircraft in recent testimony to the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight of the Committee on Science and Technology. Hunter has received $36,000 in donations from DuPont Aerospace.^[46] The United States Department of Defense, abbreviated DoD or DOD and sometimes called the Defense Department, is a civilian Cabinet organization of the United States government. ... The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of new technology for use by the military. ... The DuPont Aerospace DP-2 is a controversial VTOL aircraft that is supposed to take off and land like a Helicopter and fly like an airplane. ... The Hawker Harrier, one of the famous examples of a plane with VTOL capability. ... The multinational Combined Task Force One Five Zero (CTF-150) The British Grand Fleet, the supreme naval force of World War I A rare occurrence of a 5-country multinational fleet, during Operation Enduring Freedom in the Oman Sea. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... An air force, in some countries called an air army, is a military or armed service that primarily conducts aerial warfare. ... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nations public space program. ... The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of new technology for use by the military. ...

References

March 10 is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 2003 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... January 29 is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece, coinciding with the anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic uprising. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Washington Post is the largest newspaper in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Washington Post is the largest newspaper in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... March 21 is the 80th day of the year (81st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... The China Post (Chinese: 英文中國郵報) is one of the three English-language newspapers published in Taiwan, the other two being Taiwan News and the Taipei Times. ... is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Official sites

• Official Presidential Campaign Website
• Official Congressional website
• Official Congressional Campaign website

Documentaries, topic pages and databases

• Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• New York Times — Duncan Hunter collected news stories and commentary
• Genealogy of Duncan Hunter
• On the Issues — Duncan Hunter issue positions and quotes
• OpenSecrets.org — Duncan Hunter campaign contributions
• PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer - Vote 2008: Duncan Hunter
• Project Vote Smart — Duncan Hunter profile
• SourceWatch Congresspedia — Duncan Hunter profile
• Washington Post - Congress Votes Database: Duncan Hunter voting record
• Duncan Hunter at the Open Directory Project

Media coverage

• University of Chicago, "Tomorrow with Alex Beinstein" Radio Interview
• USA Today — Duncan Hunter associated with Randy "Duke" Cunningham/Brent Wilkes scandal, November 29, 2005.
• Duncan Hunter on Officer Phil's KUSI-TV page