A rare, open seat in Congress’ 52nd District is drawing a crowded field of candidates, including one especially familiar name.

Republican Duncan D. Hunter will go after the seat his father, Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, has held more than a quarter century.

The elder Hunter declined to run for re-election to pursue an ill-fated presidential bid.
His absence creates the only vacant congressional seat in the county this year. Yesterday was the filing deadline for the district’s June 3 primary election.

Experts predict low turnout June 3 could blunt Duncan D. Hunter’s name advantage. Voters are expected to be well-informed, and perhaps less likely to confuse family members.

Hunter is getting heat from opponents about his family ties.

“The people of San Diego County are going to vote for the person they think will do the best job,” said Hunter, 31, a Marine captain.

Vying against him for the Republican nomination are Bob Watkins, 65, an Alpine businessman and president of the San Diego County Board of Education; Brian Jones, 39, a Santee city councilman; and Rick L. Powell, 60, a retired federal law enforcement agent from Ramona.

Also in the race are Democrats Mike Lumpkin, 43, a former Navy SEAL commander from Jamul, and Vickie Butcher, 66, a former El Cajon planning commissioner from El Cajon; and Libertarian Michael Benoit, 56, a small-business owner from Lakeside.

In other congressional races:

• 49th District: Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, will face Democrat Robert Hamilton, a retired businessman; and Libertarian Lars R. Grossmith, a mortgage banker.
• 50th District: Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Carlsbad, will face Democrats Cheryl Martin Ede, a clinical and school psychologist, and Nick Leibham, an attorney and small businessman; and Libertarian Wayne Dunlap, a business owner.
• 51st District: Rep. Bob Filner, D-San Diego, will face Republicans Dan Felzer, a mortgage broker, and David Lee Joy, a business owner and executive; and Libertarian Dan “Frodo” Litwin, a software systems engineer.

• 53rd District: Rep. Susan A. Davis, D-San Diego, will face Democrat Michael Copass, a microbiologist; Republicans Naomi Bar-Lev, a real estate broker, and Michael Crimmins, a teacher and retired member of the military; and Libertarian Edward M. Teyssier, a business owner and attorney.