Rep. Duncan Hunter's seat in Congress will sit vacant, as governor says no to special election

[SoCalNative]

Source: LA Times

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said Wednesday that a special election would not be called to fill the congressional seat that will be vacated when Rep. Duncan Hunter resigns from office Monday.

“The Governor’s Office received Rep. Hunter’s resignation letter. Based on the timing of the resignation, a special election will not be called,” Newsom spokeswoman Vicky Waters said by email.

The 50th Congressional District — which includes much of San Diego County and a small portion of Riverside County — will be without a representative until next January.

Hunter (R-Alpine), who was elected to office in 2008, was indicted in August 2018 on 60 federal counts based on accusations that he and his wife and former campaign manager, Margaret Hunter, stole $250,000 in campaign funds, using it for family vacations, groceries, his extramarital affairs and other non-campaign uses, including airfare for a pet rabbit.



Read more: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-01-08/duncan-hunter-seat-in-congress-vacant

[efhmc]

1. For a year?

[SoCalNative]

2. Apparently so, yes.

"The 50th Congressional District — which includes much of San Diego County and a small portion of Riverside County — will be without a representative until next January."

There's not enough time to change the ballots for the upcoming March primary, and there is only a short window of time in which to hold a special election after that time.

[ck4829]

7. I can see why. Him being reelected should be considered a national embarrassment

I wonder if corruption and REAL voting fraud was involved.

[aggiesal]

12. Why have another election, ...

when the primaries are in 3 months?
Just a waste of money.

Plus the (R)'s can't claim an incumbent and
Darrell Issa (or Ass-I, Issa spelled backwards) wants that seat
and will probably get it.

[former9thward]

16. So people should be unrepresnted because of politics?

Imagine the outrage if a Republican governor did not have an election in a district that was likely to go Democratic.

[ck4829]

19. If people are outraged, they should be outraged at the people who voted for Duncan Hunter

Duncan Hunter didn't spontaneously generate out of thin air or become the representative through a lottery. They made the choice to vote for a then-indicted man of their own free will. What's the common refrain? "Elections have consequences"?

Maybe his voters should have considered those potential consequences before voting for him?

[IronLionZion]

20. I live in DC and am unrepresented because of politics

because we are an overwhelmingly Democratic district and GOP doesn't want another safe Dem seat in congress

[Bradical79]

34. Yeah, D.C. gets screwed.

It's ridiculous.

[Mr.Bill]

23. No, because they elected a criminal. n/t

[ck4829]

25. This. This 100%. If people are shocked about this, they should direct emotions at his voters

Last edited Thu Jan 9, 2020, 11:09 AM - Edit history (1)

Nobody held a gun to them and forced them to vote for a man who was already indicted. They made the choice to not care about his indictment. They made the choice to not consider what would happen if this criminal investigation wasn't dropped. They made the choice to ignore his record of corruption and his pathetic blame shifting.

They made their choice, so if someone lives in Duncan Hunter's district and if they are upset over this (and they should be), then person #1 to blame would be the Duncan Hunter voter.

[Judi Lynn]

31. Such a well focused comment. How could people not grasp the facts?

He showed colossal disrespect for the law long before his rabid right wing voters sent him back knowing he would be going to trial.

[RhodeIslandOne]

24. What a surprise

[LovingA2andMI]

27. Where were these feelings....

When The Late Congressman John Conyers seat was left open for a year and one half?

[LanternWaste]

32. No surprise that's the only conclusion you're able to infer, despite so many others available.

I get it... despite its inherent fallacious nature, linear thought is so comforting and warm.

[rockfordfile]

33. Where do you get that lying bs that it's about politics?

[FrodosNewPet]

36. Of course exactly that has happened!

Most of Detroit to go 11 months without rep in Congress

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2017/12/08/snyder-special-election-next-year-replace-conyers/935485001/

Melissa Nann Burke, Detroit News Washington Bureau - Published 2:49 p.m. ET Dec. 8, 2017 | Updated 11:17 p.m. ET Dec. 8, 2017

Washington — Gov. Rick Snyder has set the special election to fill the seat of departed U.S. Rep. John Conyers Jr. to coincide with the regularly scheduled 2018 primary and general elections, in part to keep costs down.

~ snip ~

The special primary election will be Aug. 7 and the special general election Nov. 6.

That means residents of the 13th District, which covers much of Detroit and parts of Wayne County, will go without a representative in Congress for roughly 11 months.

“Having ample time for candidates to make a decision about running for office and file their paperwork gives people more options as to who will next represent them in Congress,” Snyder said in a statement.

~ snip ~

[Judi Lynn]

17. Replacing one Republican criminal with another. Figures! n/t

[Tiggeroshii]

15. Primaries for everybody are already in March, I think. And then a GE in November...

Even Katie Hill's seat will be vacant for even more than a year -I think

[magicarpet]

3. Why can't Hunter serve out the rest of his elected US House term from jail ?

Or maybe his mistress/concubine ?



Daddy, do you love your mistress more than mommy. Are these the kinds of Republic Family Values you always preach about and claim to cherish ?

[not fooled]

18. But...which mistress?

There were several. Possibly many.

They must really have been fighting over a prize like him. At least as long as the campaign funds kept being diverted to pay for the assignations. I guess he vaped afterwards.

[Auggie]

4. This will piss off a lot of repukes

[erronis]

21. The repukes are expert at acting pissed off. Actually, many of the are permanently pissed.

in the sense of being permanently inebriated.

If not then the only other excuse for their behavior is that they are addle-pated.

[RockRaven]

5. People have been calling on Hunter to resign forever, the timing problem is all on him.

If people in that district want to be mad, be mad at themselves for re-electing someone under indictment, or be mad at Hunter for waiting to resign -- despite his conviction -- until it was too late to include the race in the spring election ballots.

[OneCrazyDiamond]

8. And the dupes who reelected and indicted congressperson.

Maybe they believed him.

[aggiesal]

13. He didn't resign until now ...

because he can now draw another months pay.

[TeamPooka]

6. One less Republican asshole in Congress and it's all Hunter's fault for waiting too long

[itsrobert]

9. So this means I dont have to pay taxes

From January 14, 2020 until someone is sworn in? No taxation without representation. I recall a war was fought over that.

[ck4829]

10. You really should take that up with the big brains who voted for him

I actually want to hear their thoughts on all this. Like what were they thinking.

[mahina]

11. Mine is Tuski and she's as good as quit but is still

Getting paid

[aggiesal]

14. Ask about that to the people who live in DC ...

they have never had a voting representative.
And, they still have to pay taxes.

[ProfessorGAC]

37. Thin Ice

You have 2 senators currently in office.
So, you are still represented but one-third of your representation is on temporary hold.

[Toorich]

22. Damn ya'll ....

.... I'm from Oklahoma and I haven't been represented in the Senate since 1994
but my Dist 5 Rep is the only Dem elected to national office -Kendra Horn.
We are proud as hell of her, but the Magats hate her.

[samnsara]

26. one less for them

[keithbvadu2]

28. If he had resigned earlier, could they have had a special election?

[ck4829]

29. Here is something

Because Hunter did not resign until after the primary race filing deadline, which was in early December, Newsom was given the option of legally leaving the seat vacant until after the November general election.

Because Hunter resigned so late and so close to the March primary, it made it increasingly difficult for a special election to be conducted or for a special election to be consolidated with the primary.

The San Diego County Registrar of Voters Office has been finalizing proofs of the final March ballot this week, and federal law dictates that overseas military ballots go out next week.

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

I'm thinking it could, maybe, have been a possibility if Hunter resigned earlier, but the later it got, it became harder to do.

[mahina]

30. I wondered why he was waiting so long to resign. It was really odd.

The Republicans must thing this helps them?

I sure hope not.

[ck4829]

35. It was quite odd indeed, I personally think he had to play the victim for as long as possible

His ego needed protecting I'm guessing