Of the four Republican congressional candidates who addressed more than 1,100 potential voters at a public forum Monday, not one walked away with the endorsement of the Republican Party of San Diego county.
This marked the first time that Hunter, the District 50 incumbent, did not receive the endorsement from his own party.
His failure to land the required 2/3 majority vote lends weight to a statement made by one of his challengers during introductory remarks:
“I’m not running because this is an easy seat. I’m running because I’m worried for it,” said former North County Congressman Darrel Issa.
Issa is joined by State Senator Brian Jones and former San Diego City Council member Carl DeMaio in a bid to unseat Hunter in the 2020 congressional election.
Issa positioned himself as something of a safety net for a party eager to hang on to a red seat in an increasingly blue county.
Issa repeatedly referenced his friendship with Hunter’s father, former Congressman Duncan Lee Hunter, aligning himself with the retired politician despite the fact that he is running against his son, even complimenting the elder Hunter on his hat from up at the podium.
The candidates were asked how they thought they might work with Republican President Donald Trump. DeMaio said he would “stand and fight” with Trump against subpoenas issued by House Democrats and he would offer “policy leadership” on replacement policy for universal healthcare, often referred to as Obamacare.
When asked about legal immigration and border security Hunter told the audience, “We’re being overrun,” after describing a trip he made to the border where he stood in the same holding cell as one publicized as allegedly having only toilet water available for drinking purposes by Ocasio- Cortez.
Hunter said if reelected, he will continue to support initiatives for border wall construction, mandatory use of eVerify— which has been legally required for use by the Department of Homeland Security since 2007— and deportation rather than imprisonment of undocumented immigrant-criminals.
All of the candidates expressed support of the second amendment of the constitution but it was Jones who took the opportunity to remind voters that he is the only candidate other than Hunter who actually lives in the district.
After painting a picture of an east county life that included awards for trap shooting and recreational target practice, Jones suggested the right to bear arms is indicative of a free democracy, referencing citizen upheaval in South America and Asia.
“The second amendment was not put in the constitution to protect our right to fishing and hunting, it was put in for Venezuela… for Hong Kong… the second amendment is about freedom,” Jones said.
When candidates were asked “What is your position on abortion and the beginning and end of life?” Jones mentioned California State Bill 24, which requires public California universities to provide medication that leads to abortion (commonly known as the morning after pill) by 2023. After describing passage of the bill as a grotesque movement, he reminded the crowd of his family’s donations to pregnancy planning centers in San Diego. These organizations, such as East County Pregnancy Care Clinic, offer pregnant women alternatives to abortion and do not provide pregnancy termination services.
DeMaio said he did not approve of taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood, claiming anyone who said the organization is a “legitimate healthcare outfit is either a fool or thinks you’re a fool.”
“I’m sure as hell not going to fund Planned Parenthood,” he said, later adding: “Not only do we have to cut the funding, but we have to go out there and win over the hearts and minds which means we have to allow an environment where people can choose life,” he said.
Rather than explicitly stating he was pro or anti abortion, DeMaio focused on eliminating the use of taxpayer money to fund abortions and encouraged pregnant women to find an alternative, and said faith-based crisis pregnancy centers “need our support.”
Issa, for his part, said that he would like to overturn Roe v. Wade with Hunter simply answering: “You can’t do the right thing if you have evil at home.”
Toward the end of the evening Hunter stated the seat is his with a reminder that he won the seat even while under indictment in 2018.
CORRECTION:
A previous version of this story incorrectly stated State Senator Brian Jones donated to the Pregnancy Care Centers of San Diego.
Jones donated to CAPS Pregnancy Clinics and East County Pregnancy Care Clinic, organizations that provide counseling to pregnant women but do not provide or advocate abortion.
In the same story it was reported radio personality and former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio criticized Democrat Congresswomen Nancy Pelosi and Alexandria Cortez. He did not.
It was also reported DeMaio sidestepped a question asking how candidates see themselves working with President Donald Trump. DeMaio did not avoid the question, instead he said he would “stand with him and fight.”
It was also reported that candidates for Congressional District 50 were asked their position on abortion and that DeMaio would defund pregnancy planning centers. To be clear DeMaio stated he opposes taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. He did, however, say faith-based crisis pregnancy centers “need our support.”
