Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), who bowed out of the presidential race on Saturday following several disappointing showings in early nominating contests, cast his lot on Wednesday with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, one of five Republicans remaining in the race for the White House.

[IMGCAP(1)]In a statement, Hunter, the former House Armed Services chairman who is retiring from Congress after 14 terms, called Huckabee “a man of outstanding character and integrity.”

“I got to know Governor Huckabee well on the campaign trail,” Hunter said. “Of the remaining candidates I feel that he is strongly committed to strengthening national defense, constructing the border fence and meeting the challenge of China’s emergence as a military superpower that is taking large portions of America’s industrial base.”

— Josh Kurtz