Duncan Hunter's Long-Shot Conservative Bid

RealClearPolitics ^ | George Will

[Antoninus]

WASHINGTON -- When Bob Hunter, a Riverside, Calif., businessman, would hear of a conservative's campaign that needed volunteers, he would pile his family into the station wagon and drive off to ring doorbells. Hunter's son Duncan grew up believing in retail politics.

When Hunter returned home after serving as an alternate Goldwater delegate at the 1964 Republican convention in San Francisco, he told Duncan about chatting with another alternate, an amiable fellow, some actor, named Reagan. Who two years later was elected governor. Duncan learned early on about rapid upward mobility in politics.

In 1969, he dropped out of college, joined the army and was sent to Vietnam. From there he mailed his pay to a friend who purchased for him an island in Idaho's Snake River, where Duncan farmed after his discharge. Then another friend said a San Diego law school would admit him without a college degree. In 1980 he was a lawyer with a storefront office in San Diego's Hispanic community when his father walked in and told him he could be a congressman. Never mind, his father said, that this district was only 29 percent Republican. Reagan was at the top of the ticket.

Duncan says his Baptist minister, respecting the separation of church and state, told parishioners they should vote for the Reagan of their choice. They distributed 400,000 Duncan brochures. Today Duncan is in his 14th term representing eastern San Diego County. Three weeks ago he formally launched his presidential candidacy.

Why does he think he can become the first House member elected president since James Garfield in 1880? Why does he think he can do better than the two strongest House candidates in recent elections?...

"For some candidates,'' Hunter says, "the conservative constituency is an inconvenience. For me, it is my hope.''

[Kevmo]

Candidly, I really don't think DH has any reason to look over his shoulder at any of those candidates. They all have too much baggage of some kind. Hunter's only real negative is his lack of exposure, and he's gaining ground on that every day. It's pretyy early in the cycle.

[familyop]

"Duncan Hunter would make a good VeeP for Newt.. -OR- maybe NEWT would make a good VeeP for Hunter.. or even campaign operative.."

...agreed! Any real conservative nominee for '08 should have a backup with a nearly identical voting record.

[Gelato]

Respectfully, I have one question for Duncan Hunter.

"Will you support Rudy Giuliani if he is the party nominee?"

[rmlew]

It isn't hard to be the conservative. Rudy, Romney, and McCaine aren't. Gilmore may or may not be running anything. Newt keep evolving and has a baggage train a mile long. Ron Paul lives in an imaginary world without Islamists, and Tancredo has serious baggage regarding Nam.

I'm going to see Newt tonight, so I may come back a Newt fanatic. I used to intern for him before that word became dirty.

[wouldntbprudent]

I'm starting to take notice!

[MinorityRepublican]

Yes that's possible but there have to be massive grassroots movement to get the name "Duncan Hunter" or other like-minded Conservative out there so sheeple will know who he is.

Not everyone knows who Duncan is because they don't read FR.

[LowCountryJoe]

This might sound kind of a like hostile question, just letting you know up-front, but what is Hunter's stance on free trade/international commerce? Also; is he a states' rights advocate -- one who believes that most values &@cultural-based legislation should typically be formed at the lowest levels of government possible?

See, I grow quite concerned that Hunter is the isolationist and nationalist that others (sometime proudly) make him out to be. And this is off-putting to me.

[tiger-one]

And,

"do not let the enemy choose the site of the next battle"

Gen. Patton

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

...on the other hand, George Will wrote a column on Rudy the other day and said he was a conservative.....go figure

George Will gets his paychecks from the limousine liberal media establishment...

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Also; is he a states' rights advocate -- one who believes that most values &@cultural-based legislation should typically be formed at the lowest levels of government possible?

States vote to ratify Constitutional Amendments...

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Ron Paul lives in an imaginary world without Islamists, and Tancredo has serious baggage regarding Nam.

[don-o]

What happens because of the compressed primaries if a candidate is nominated and the base angrily rise up in protest?

I have to think that even the Stupid Party can figure this one out. A lot of conservatives were suspicious of W. But, we swallowed our spit and went for him. He, at least mouthed the right words.

[LowCountryJoe]

OK, but I am not aware that PT Barnum had ever said that.

[James Ewell Brown Stuart]

What's Merry and Pippin got to do with it?

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

OK, but I am not aware that PT Barnum had ever said that.

"There is a sucker born every minute." (P.T. Barnum)

[catfish1957]

I agree with the assessment. Apparently you must be his campaign manager,because you more than anyone else is promoting his cause. I like his politics, but there is just something about him that I don't like. I just haven't been able to put my finger on it.

IMO.. I think there is a better conservative candidate out there, That person just hasn't shown up yet.

[Corin Stormhands]

Duncan Hunter Aims to Be the Conservative in the Race

Jim Gilmore's not gonna like this. He says he is the only "true conservative" in the race.

[panaxanax]

Full steam ahead!

HUNTER BUMP!!

[bushfamfan]

Enough of this you CAN'T. Substance will prove the naysayers wrong in Hunter's case. We are at a turning point in our country and with the GOP in what direction we are going in. If conservatives don't stand up for their principles now, we are going to be settling on these naysayers saying conservatism CAN'T win because the public wants liberalism. Hunter will run a great campaign and finally bring a great messenger that has been missing from the GOP for some time.

[wolfcreek]

All We can do is keep hammmering home the point so the anti-Hunter crowd can't convince the uninformed We should closet our principles for yet another RINO. A Rudy McRomney candidate is like voting for *the man behind the curtain*....by the time We know who he really is....it will be too late.