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Roundtable: Duncan Hunter Resigns

Rep. Duncan Hunter arrives at the federal courthouse in downtown San Diego, Dec. 3, 2019.
Alexander Nguyen
Rep. Duncan Hunter arrives at the federal courthouse in downtown San Diego, Dec. 3, 2019.
On Monday, Congressman Duncan D. Hunter will resign. There will be no special election for the 50th Congressional District. Local vets reveal their thoughts on the situation with Iran. And homelessness is spreading to the suburbs.

Roundtable Guests:

Priya Sridhar, KPBS News

Andrew Keatts, Voice of San Diego

Steve Walsh, KPBS News

Max Rivlin-Nadler, KPBS News

Hunter resigns Monday. What now?

Duncan D. Hunter (R-Alpine) has at last submitted his resignation to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, six weeks after he pleaded guilty to a felony. It will take effect Monday, January 13. That date is after the filing deadline for the March primary. Governor Newsom had the option of holding the seat open until after the November election or calling a special election in the interim. He opted for the former. Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar is vying for the 50th Congressional seat against Republicans Darrell Issa, Brian Jones and Carl DeMaio. Jones and Campa-Najjar actually live in the district.

RELATED: Gov. Newsom Will Not Call Special Election Following Resignation Of Rep. Duncan Hunter

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San Diego Republicans increasingly MIA

2019 was not an election year, but San Diego Republicans managed to lose three seats anyway when San Diego City Councilman Mark Kersey, District Attorney Summer Stephan and Assemblyman Brian Maienschein left the party. The San Diego Mayor's Office, currently held by Republican Kevin Faulconer, could flip in 2020, along with the County Board of Supervisors, dominated by Republicans for decades.

Roundtable: Duncan Hunter Resigns

What happens in Iran resonates in San Diego

San Diego is nearly 8,000 miles from Iran, but the turmoil in Iran and Iraq as a result of the U.S. killing of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani is affecting those currently in the military, local veterans of the Iraq War and ordinary citizens. In a speech Wednesday, President Trump indicated that since no Americans were killed in Iran’s retaliatory missile strikes in Iraq, he would not retaliate.

Homelessness spreads to San Diego suburbs

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A county park in Spring Valley, a suburb east of San Diego, has become a hub for the homeless. Many were formerly housed in that community of around 30,000, but lost housing for a variety of reasons. The park is subject to homeless sweeps, and some current tent-dwellers apparently do not qualify for housing or other benefits.

RELATED: Homeless Encampment In Spring Valley Shows Spread Of San Diego’s Homeless Crisis