Spark It Up!!!: This One Doesnt Run Even When He Runs

Here is one of America's sons who gets it: "It's better to have them shooting at me there (Iraq) than shooting at people here."

Capt. Duncan D. Hunter, son of U.S. Rep Duncan Hunter, was one of about 250 Californians in the Marine Corps' Individual Ready Reserve program who was recently informed that he is being reactivated. This will be his third tour in Iraq. His first came in mid-2003 shortly after the U.S. invasion, and he spent seven months in Iraq in 2004, during which time he saw action in the fight for the city of Fallujah, one of the major battles of the war.

In his case, Hunter said he asked and the Marine Corps has granted his request to expedite his deployment.

"The Marine Corps certainly has needs to be filled now, and I would rather go now and get it done sooner than later," he said."I think what we are doing in Iraq is the right thing," he said during a telephone interview. "We are doing what our military has trained us to do, and in fighting over there we present hardened military targets to the enemy. It beats IEDs going off over here."

Timing could not be worse for the younger Hunter as he has announced that he will be running for th 52nd Congressional District seat that his father has held since 1981.

Duncan Duane Hunter said he decided to run for Congress because he holds many of the same beliefs as his dad and wants to continue that kind of representation.

"I represent conservative values and can communicate that what we are doing in the war on terror is the right thing," he said. "I also think I can communicate that message more effectively than the administration has been doing."

His job in Iraq will prevent Hunter from doing much campaigning during his deployment. That work will be assumed by his wife, Margaret, he said.