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Hunter Finally Posts a Quarter in Which He Raised More Than He Spent

California congressman has been dogged by a federal investigation into campaign spending

Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., walks down the House steps after final votes of the week in the Capitol on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., walks down the House steps after final votes of the week in the Capitol on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

After two consecutive weak fundraising quarters, embattled California Rep. Duncan Hunter finally posted a fundraising quarter in which he raised more than he spent.

The Republican has been dogged by a federal criminal investigation about spending campaign finance cash for personal use.

The investigation led him to spend more on legal feesthan he raised for the past two fundraising quarters.

But Hunter raised $210,268 for the first quarter of 2018 while spending $191,678, according to Rob Pyers, who runs California Target Book.

Still, Pyers noted that Hunter has spent 90 percent of all of his campaign cash on legal fees, for a total of $614,492.

Hunter also outraised his Democratic challengers.

Former Obama administration official Ammar Campa-Najjar raised a total of $205,242.99, while retired Navy SEAL Josh Butner raised $176,226.58 between Jan. 1 and March 31 of this year.

Hunter’s perceived weakness has caused the contest between Campa-Najjar and Butner to turn ugly.

Butner saying Campa-Najjar was involved with a website that tied Butner’s father to the Ku Klux Klan.

Campa-Najjar said Butner’s campaign was behind a new story tying Campa-Najjar to his grandfather, who was a terrorist but died before Campa-Najjar was born.

Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales still rates California’s 50th District as Likely Republican.

Correction, April 16, 2018, 12:28 p.m. | A previous version of this story misstated Butner’s fundraising total.

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