Duncan Hunter


 * ''Duncan Hunter is member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California.
 * Duncan L. Hunter is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California and a 2008 Republican presidential candidate.

Duncan D. Hunter has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the 52nd district of the State of California, since 2009. He replaced his father, Rep. Duncan L. Hunter (R-Calif.), who sought the 2008 Republican presidential nomination.

Positions, record and controversies
The following positions were taken by Rep. Hunter on his 2008 campaign website:

National Security
Hunter's platform on national security issues includes strengthening the military, making sure the men and women serving have the best equipment and training available, and eliminating government red tape and bureaucratic roadblocks that hamper efforts to obtain new weapons and intelligence technology.

Border Security
On his campaign Web site, Hunter laid out his plan on immigration as follows: No amnesty, drivers licenses, official IDs or non-court ordered benefits for illegal immigrants. Also, he would support a double border fence along the U.S and Mexico border, increasing penalties on business that knowingly hired illegal immigrants, ending birthright citizenship for those born to illegal immigrants, and increase support for the Border Patrol.

Taxes
Hunter supports a strict limit on how fast government can grow. He believes that reducing taxes is the best way to foster economic growth, that the tax code should be simplified, that the Alternative Minimum Tax should be changed to protect working families. He also would support making the Bush tax cuts permanent, as well as eliminating the death tax.

Social Issues
Hunter believes that life begins at conception. He says he would ban partial birth abortions and federal funding to pay for abortions. He also opposes same-sex marriages.

Healthcare
Hunter opposes a universal healthcare system, and favors using market-based approaches like expanding tax credits and health savings accounts to lower costs of healthcare.

Social Security
In order to continue the level of benefits for seniors, Hunter believes that there should be more options for young people investing their own retirement funds.

2nd Amendment
Hunter believes that the government should not pass laws that restrict the right of any law-abiding citizen to purchase, own and legally use firearms.

Education
Hunter believes that resources for schools should go directly into classrooms, and that home schooling should be embraced.

Trade
On his campaign website, Hunter says that America should adopt a Fair Trade policy that enhances foreign markets, but that also protects American consumers from potentially inferior or dangerous foreign products.

Bio
Hunter was born December 7, 1976, in San Diego, and he is the son of Congressman and former Republican presidential candidate Duncan L. Hunter (R-Calif.). Hunter graduated from San Diego State with a degree in business administration in 2000, but after Sept, 11, 2001, he joined the Marines and served tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was honorably discharged in November 2007. He and his wife, Maragaret, have three children.

2008 elections
Hunter was the 2008 Republican nominee to replace his father, Rep. Duncan L. Hunter (R-Calif.), who ran for President, in the 2008 congressional elections. . He went on to defeat Democratic nominee Michael Lumpkin in the November 2008 general election.

Money in politics
cid=N00029258&cycle=2008

Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)
Hunter will be assigned committees if and when he is elected to Congress.

External resources

 * 2008 Race Tracker page on California’s 52nd Congressional District
 * Duncan D. Hunter's official campaign website

External articles

 * Betsy Rothstein, "Rep. Duncan Hunter will not seek reelection," The Hill, March 20, 2007.