Poll: GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter up by 8 points despite indictment

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) holds an 8-point lead over his Democratic opponent despite being indicted on charges of misusing campaign funds, according to a new poll.

A Survey USA poll published Monday found that among likely voters in California’s 50th District who were surveyed, 47 percent plan to vote for Hunter, compared to 39 percent who favor Democratic challenger Ammar Campa-Najjar, if they are the only two candidates on the ballot. President Trump won the district by 15 points in 2016.

{mosads} Among Republicans, 77 percent of likely voters said that despite his indictment, they would vote for Hunter if the election was held today, the poll found.

Hunter and his wife, Margaret, were indicted last week after being charged with misusing at least $250,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses.

Hunter is accused of using the funds to pay for trips to Italy and Hawaii, his family’s dental work, his children’s tuition and travel for relatives, among other personal expenses.

Hunter has dismissed the charges as politically motivated, calling them the product of a “witch hunt” carried out by the Department of Justice. 

Survey USA interviewed 850 adults in the district between Aug. 22 and Aug. 26, immediately after Hunter’s indictment. However, the sample of likely voters includes just 539 individuals and has a margin of error of 5.1 percentage points.