Duncan Hunter

In a move that would make most press secretaries want to fling themselves off tall buildings, a California Congressman said this week that he wanted to help the refugees pouring into Chad from war-torn Darfur by going out and doing a little big game hunting.

There were just a few problems with U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter's announced desire to shoot a wildebeest, cure its meat and then hand out the tasty morsels to the starving Darfurians at a refugee camp.

Duncan D. Hunter has been declared the victor in the Republican primary for the seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter.

With almost 13 percent of precincts reporting, Hunter leads with 73.9 percent of the vote. Santee City Councilman Brian Jones and businessman Brian Watkins trail with 14.2 percent and 8.3 percent, respectively.

Hunter, a businessman and Iraq veteran, is expected to face off against Democrat Mike Lumpkin in November’s general election. Early returns show Lumpkin, a former Navy Seal leading primary rival Vickie Butcher by a commanding 58.8 percent to 41.2 percent margin.

The District 52 seat spans the San Diego area.

Republican congressional candidate Duncan D. HunterWith less than three weeks before the June 3 primary, a new poll in the race for the San Diego-area seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter shows Duncan D. Hunter far ahead of his Republican primary opponents.

The poll, conducted May 8 to May 10 by the Democratic polling firm Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates, shows Hunter, a businessman and Army veteran and the son the retiring Congressman, picking up 79 percent. His nearest competitor, Brian Jones, a minister and Santee City Councilman, receives 6 percent. Bob Watkins, a businessman and President of the San Diego County Board of Education, receives 2 percent. Rick Powell, an Army veteran, also receives 2 percent.

Republican congressional candidate Duncan D. HunterRival Republican U.S. House candidates Duncan D. Hunter and Bob Watkins are announcing competing endorsements in the race to succeed retiring District 52 U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter.

Hunter, a businessman and Iraq war veteran, won the backing of the California Republican Assembly, an independent organization that promotes conservative policies within the Republican Party.

Republican primary rival Duncan D. Hunter had a superior first quarter fundraising period than Bob Watkins, but the Watkins campaign is not discouraged, a spokesperson said today.

“The showing Hunter had was fairly strong, but we think the campaign is a marathon, not a sprint,” said Jennifer Kearns, who added that the campaign will be won in the remaining six weeks leading up the June 3 Republican primary.

In the race to replace U.S. Congressman Duncan Hunter, Republican Duncan D. Hunter is showing a wide fundraising lead over his Republican and Democratic rivals as the campaign heads to the June 3 primary.

In the Republican field, Hunter, an Iraq war veteran who is the son of the retiring Congressman, is reporting almost $279,000 in first quarter funds and has $263,000 on hand. Watkins, the president of the San Diego County Board of Education, has reported raising $79,000 during the quarter and having $44,000 on hand. Jones, a Santee City Councilman, raised about $28,000 and has $78,000 in cash on hand.

On the Democratic side, Mike Lumpkin, a retired Navy officer, is reporting $87,000 raised and $80,000 in cash on hand. Vickie Butcher, a former Chair of the El-Cajon Planning Commission, raised $18,000 and has $12,000 on hand.

Democrat Mike Lumpkin, running for the District 52 House seat that Republican Duncan Hunter Sr. is vacating, has raised in the vicinity of $75,000 - $80,000 in the first quarter, with over $150,000 raised to date, says campaign manager Chris Young.

“We had a very good quarter,” says Young, who added that “we’d always like to have more.”

Lumpkin, a retired Navy officer, raised $78,000 in the previous quarter. During that period of time he was displaced by the wildfires that ravaged the area.

Over the weekend Lumpkin won the endorsement of the California Democratic Party, winning 92% of the vote at the convention. Fellow Democrat Vickie Bucher, a teacher and community activist, picked up 8%