SAN DIEGO — Republican U.S. Rep. Duncan D. Hunter submitted his resignation Tuesday, one month after pleading guilty to a corruption charge, leaving vacant one of the GOP’s few remaining House seats in heavily Democratic California.
Hunter’s departure, effective Jan. 13, ends his family’s political dynasty in which he and his father, Duncan L. Hunter, represented the San Diego County district for nearly 30 years. The combat Marine veteran — a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump — served 11 years in Congress.
His two-page letter of resignation — one version addressed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and another to California Gov. Gavin Newsom — lists his accomplishments and doesn’t mention his criminal conviction. Newsom has not said whether he will order a special election or leave the seat open until a successor emerges from the November general election.
Hunter, 43, had been silent after saying early last month that he would step down “shortly after the holidays,” drawing criticism last week from a fellow Republican who wants to succeed him, Carl DeMaio. The San Diego Union-Tribune asked in an editorial Monday, “What’s he waiting for?”
