Rep. Duncan Hunter, the Republican who has been representing the 50th District in Congress, declared he will officially resign from Congress on Monday, January 13.
It was in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Gov. Gavin Newsom sent Tuesday, Jan. 7 that he made the official notification.
On December 3 Hunter pleaded guilty to a felony involving campaign spending. He’s expected to be sentenced March 17.
Indicted in August 2018, after serving in Congress for ten years, he faced 60 federal counts as he and Margaret Hunter, his wife and former campaign manager, were accused of stealing $250,000 of campaign funds, using the monies for family vacations – including at least one to Italy – , groceries, his extramarital affairs and other non-campaign uses, including airfare for a pet rabbit.
Hunter agreed to a plea bargain, where he pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to convert campaign funds to personal use, and be subject to the punishment of just one felony – the possibility of up to 5 years in prison.
The 50th District includes much of eastern San Diego County as well as the north county communities of Fallbrook, San Marcos, Valley Center and Escondido, and a small portion of Riverside County.
LA Times writer Charles Clark did some speculation:
Hunter’s resignation puts the ball in [Governor] Newsom’s court for determining whether to call a special election to fill his vacant seat.
Because Hunter’s resignation will take effect after the filing deadline for the March primary ballot, which was early last month, Newsom has the option of leaving the seat vacant until after the November election.
Or the governor can call for a special election in addition to the primary. It may be difficult to call for a special election to be consolidated with the March 3 primary because mail ballots for both elections would be sent about the same time and could be confusing for voters.
Newsom also could call for a special election that would take place after the March primary.
Whatever unfolds, those of us who have watching Hunter for years have finally achieved some relief with his resignation.
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My bet is is he runs in the next election.
Calif Governor says: Rep. Duncan Hunter’s seat in Congress will sit vacant, no special election . https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2020-01-08/rep-duncan-hunters-seat-in-congress-with-sit-vacant-as-governor-said-no-to-special-election