Embattled Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., is still in the lead in San Diego's 50th congressional district, despite being indicted on charges of misusing campaign funds, according to a new poll released Monday.
A Survey USA poll found Hunter holds an 8-point lead over his Democratic opponent, Ammar Campa-Najjar, 47 percent to 39 percent. Seventy-seven percent of likely Republican voters still stand behind Hunter, while 69 percent of conservatives said charges Hunter and his wife Margaret misappropriated $250,000 in campaign funds and then filed false finance records with the government are politically motivated.
Hunter and his wife were indicted in federal court Aug. 21.
Campa-Najjar, the son of a Mexican-American mother and a Middle Eastern father, was satisfied with the poll's results.
"Polling has consistently found this to be a close and competitive race, and we are gaining ground every day as voters learn more about Hunter's corruption and egregious behavior," Campa-Najjar's campaign said in a statement, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Most people polled said they knew about the allegations, including 84 percent of Republicans and 73 percent of Democrats.
Survey USA interviewed 850 adults in the district between Aug. 22-26, immediately following Hunter's indictment. The poll was conducted for the Union-Tribune and 10News. The sample of likely voters includes just 539 individuals and has a margin of error of 5.1 percentage points.