[13] In June 2019, federal prosecutors showed that from 2009 to 2016, Hunter had spent campaign funds on extramarital affairs with five women, including lobbyists and congressional staff.

However, his attacks on Van Deerlin's record on national defense gained traction in a district dominated by military bases and personnel.

During consideration of the FY2006 Defense Authorization Act, Hunter offered an amendment to the bill clarifying enacted policy restricting women from direct combat units.

Hunter's amendment codified existing Army policy enacted in 1994 under former Defense Secretary Les Aspin that prohibited women from submitting or migrating into combat units or operations.

[19] In November 2004, Hunter and Wisconsin Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner withheld their support for a bill creating a Director of National Intelligence (DNI) until specific conditions were met.

Hunter argued that the military is the biggest consumer of intelligence and any reforms enacted, including the creation of a DNI, must not endanger the lives of troops on the battlefield.

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, which created the DNI position, was passed by Congress and signed by President George W. Bush later that year.

In a House Armed Services Committee hearing on November 9, 2005, Hunter strongly criticized a Defense Logistics Agency "prime vendor" buying program that led to the purchase of $20 ice cube trays and a tiny refrigerator for $22,797 (initially exposed by The State).

He further stated that the purchases are "a real slap in the face to the guy making $13,000 a year who is engaged in a firefight in Ramadi," and claimed that "A fairly large amount of incompetence is embedded into the system.

On January 31, 2007, Hunter held a press conference on the 2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test, stating that it "represents the commencement of a new era of military competition in space."

Given your position of leadership within the United States Government, I find your pronouncement of failure irresponsible and disserving to America's armed forces.

[24] Hunter further wrote that Reid's declaration "can have no effect but to demoralize the brave men and women, who are honorably fulfilling their mission in Iraq, and to encourage our adversaries...

Even if you sincerely believe it to be true, your pronouncement of failure will undoubtedly be used by terrorist leaders to rally their followers – inevitably leading to increased attacks on U.S. and coalition forces".

According to the July 2007 edition of Pacific Flyer, Hunter and Cunningham had pressured the Department of Defense to "... advise DARPA to put an immediate halt to bureaucratic delays and get on with the DuPont Aerospace DP-2 testing."

Lt. Gen. James Conway, top Marine officer in Iraq, signed off on the report that declined to exact punishments from those responsible for the incident.

The report was only disseminated to family members three years later, by order of a congressional investigation carried out after Hunter had left the committee.

"[27] In November 1997, Hunter was one of eighteen Republicans in the House to co-sponsor a resolution by Bob Barr that sought to launch an impeachment inquiry into President Bill Clinton.

The purpose of the bill is to "implement equal protection... for the right to life of each born and preborn human person."

[38] On April 28, 2004, Hunter introduced legislation that he said could "turn parents into prosecuting attorneys fighting a wave of obscenity.

"[42] In 1994, Hunter legislatively mandated the construction of 14 miles (23 km) of security fencing on the international land border separating San Diego County and Tijuana, Mexico.

In December 2005, Hunter directed that the contributions his campaign received from Wilkes and Wade be given to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.

"[48] More than 100 members of the House and Senate – Republicans and Democrats – accepted money from Wilkes, former MZM Inc. president Mitchell Wade, their relatives, employees or political action committees, according to OpenSecrets, a campaign watchdog group.

Throughout 2006, his Peace Through Strength PAC raised funds and ran advertising expressing his issues of border security and fair trade.

Instead, he surprised pundits by first lambasting ABC News and Fox News not allowing him to participate in previous days' televised debates and then declaring that he would not withdraw from the presidential race: "I am not going to let some arrogant knucklehead executive in a glass office 10 stories above a mall in New York City decide the outcome of this election.

[60] During his tenure in the House and his unsuccessful campaign for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, Hunter was a staunch supporter of the Iraq War.

[58][59] Although Hunter generally favored free trade,[58] he condemned Chinese currency devaluation and expressed a desire to protect the U.S. manufacturing sector,[57] and proposed imposing tariffs on imports from China.

[59] Hunter voted for the 2003 legislation that created Medicare Part D, a partial prescription drug benefit for seniors.

[59] As chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Hunter "developed a reputation for never meeting a weapons system he didn't like.

[61] Hunter defended the use of earmarks by saying that it was the constitutional prerogative of Congress to decide how specifically federal monies should be spent.

[59] Hunter was a major supporter of the controversial Mount Soledad cross, clashing with advocates for separation of church and state over the issue.