Alpine’s Hunter withdraws from presidential race

By Christy Scott
The Alpine Sun

     ALPINE — Local Alpine congressman Duncan Hunter announced Saturday evening that he has dropped out of the race for his party’s presidential nomination. Hunter spoke to a group of campaign volunteers, supporters and friends, at the very spot on the San Diego Pier where he first announced his presidential ambitions in October 2006.
     "Today we end this campaign," Hunter said. "I ran the campaign exactly the way I wanted to, and at this point not being able to gain traction in conservative states of Nevada and South Carolina, it's time to allow our volunteers and supporters to focus on the campaigns that remain viable.”

Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine).

     Hunter, 59, returned home Saturday after all the votes in the Nevada caucus had been counted, showing only two percent in support for his campaign. In the South Carolina bid Hunter trailed even farther behind, notching less than one percent of the vote.
     He also failed to make his mark in previous contests this month in Iowa and New Hampshire. His high-water mark as a presidential candidate was the largely overlooked Wyoming caucuses Jan. 5, for which he received 8 percent of the vote and one delegate to the Republican National Convention.
     “The failure of our campaign to gain traction is mine and mine alone,” he said. “But we have driven the issues of national security, the border fence, the emergence of China and the need to reverse bad trade policy. Because of that, this campaign has been very worthwhile.”
     "I said I would keep this campaign until I didn't think there was daylight," he said. "I don't regret a minute of it, and I'll tell you something — it was also a lot of fun."
     Hunter emphasized a strong national defense and immigration in his campaign but his bid never caught fire in a crowded Republican field. He had recently expressed anger at television executives for not being invited to participate in debates before the New Hampshire primary vote.
     Campaign spokesman Bob Bevill said Hunter was forced at every stop in recent weeks to dispel rumors that his campaign was already dead, and was unable to talk about the issues.
     "The media has a 'vote someone off the island' mentality, and Duncan Hunter was a casualty of that," Bevill said.
Hunter was not invited to participate in two televised Republican debates and he publicly blasted ABC and Fox News for shutting him out.
     "I think that was done by a knucklehead — and write that down, that's 'knucklehead' — corporate executive," he said. "And I think it's the height of arrogance for American corporate media leaders to decide who's going to be on the ballot."
     Hunter said he is not yet sure which candidate he will back for president.
     “It's time for me to gear up for 2008 defense bill that will be put together over the coming weeks,” Hunter said.
     “There is work to be done in the areas of troop protection and new capabilities to be deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. And over the horizon, the emergence of Communist China as a military super power will require a new emphasis on U.S. capabilities.”
     “Since our campaign began over 200,000 additional manufacturing jobs have been lost. This fracturing of the U.S. industrial base is a long-term threat to America. I hope that the remaining candidates will recognize it and address it,” he said.
     “Finally, for Lynn and me, the campaign over the last year has shown us this: America is a wonderful country. Our people have great character and goodness, and the meeting of new friends has enriched our lives,” Hunter concluded.

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