| | After serving in the military, he worked his way through law school with farming and construction jobs. Once an attorney, he practiced in a storefront office where he often provided free legal services to the poor. | | After serving in the military, he worked his way through law school with farming and construction jobs. Once an attorney, he practiced in a storefront office where he often provided free legal services to the poor. |
| − | In 1980 he achieved a big political upset in challenging and defeating [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] incumbent Lionel van Deerlin in a Democratic-leaning San Diego-based district, which was redrawn to be solidly Republican in 1982. Since the redrawing, Hunter won reelection 13 times, often with up to 70% of the vote. During his House tenure, he represented California's 42nd, 45th and 52nd districts. His voting record was virtually 100% [[conservative]] in Congress, often taking the lead on controversial issues. Hunter was a proponent of [[fair trade]] rather than [[free trade]]. <ref>http://www.gohunter08.com/inner.asp?z=4</ref> On choosing to run for president in the 2008 election, he did not stand for re-election to the House in that year. He was succeeded as representative for the 52nd district by his son, [[Duncan D. Hunter]], who was a First Lieutenant in the [[United States Marine Corps]] deployed to [[Iraq]] and [[Afghanistan]]. | + | In 1980 he achieved a big political upset in challenging and defeating [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] incumbent Lionel van Deerlin in a Democratic-leaning San Diego-based district, which was redrawn to be solidly Republican in 1982. Since the redrawing, Hunter won reelection 13 times, often with up to 70% of the vote. During his House tenure, he represented California's 42nd, 45th and 52nd districts. His voting record was virtually 100% [[conservative]] in Congress, often taking the lead on controversial issues. Hunter was a proponent of [[fair trade]] rather than [[free trade]].<ref>http://www.gohunter08.com/inner.asp?z=4</ref> On choosing to run for president in the 2008 election, he did not stand for re-election to the House in that year. He was succeeded as representative for the 52nd district by his son, [[Duncan D. Hunter]], who was a First Lieutenant in the [[United States Marine Corps]] deployed to [[Iraq]] and [[Afghanistan]]. |
| | In January 2007, Hunter attracted attention by winning a non-binding straw poll of [[Republican]] precinct committeemen in [[Arizona]]'s most-populated county, even though [[Arizona]] is home to [[Senator]] [[John McCain]].<ref>http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01/16/news/top_stories/1_03_321_15_07.txt</ref> | | In January 2007, Hunter attracted attention by winning a non-binding straw poll of [[Republican]] precinct committeemen in [[Arizona]]'s most-populated county, even though [[Arizona]] is home to [[Senator]] [[John McCain]].<ref>http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01/16/news/top_stories/1_03_321_15_07.txt</ref> |