Freshman Rep. Hunter floats himself for 2012 VP nomination

Freshman Rep. Duncan D. Hunter (R-Calif.) seemingly promoted his own 2012 vice presidential candidacy late Tuesday night online.

On his Twitter page, Hunter, who assumed office earlier this year after being elected to the seat longtime held by his father, Rep. Duncan L. Hunter (R-Calif.), posted a link to an article promoting him as a potential 2012 vice presidential nominee for the GOP.

Hunter tweeted:

2012? http://bit.ly/1Im04m

Hunter is a 33-year-old veteran of the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan who would reach the constitutionally mandated age of 35 to serve as vice president.

His father, a 28-year congressman representing the same San Diego district, ran on a longshot bid for the GOP presidential nomination in 2008.

The current congressman has spent his first term as a relative backbencher (like most freshmen) in the Republican ranks, serving on the House Armed Services and Education and Labor committees. He's also a member of the conservative Republican Study Committee.

The link on the younger Hunter's Twitter page follows through to an op-ed in the Minnesota-based Sebeka-Menahga Review Messenger authored by David Bozeman, a syndicated columnist through Liberty Features, which lists a bio for Bozeman saying he was a former chairman for the Libertarian Party of North Carolina.

The article touts Hunter's conservative bona fides on national security and the economy, along with his fresh face and military background, as reasons to support his candidacy in 2012.

Update, 4:08 p.m.: A spokesman for the congressman said Wednesday afternoon that the Twitter posting, which has since been deleted, were condoned by the congressman or his office. Hunter, a spokesman said, is not floating a candidacy for the vice presidency.

Cross-posted to the Briefing Room.