In 1860, Hunt joined the Constitutional Union Party and supported its nominee for the presidency, John Bell.

After it became clear that Bell could not win on his own in New York, Hunt was involved in the formation of a fusion ticket with the supporters of Democrat Stephen Douglas.

In his last years, Hunt moved increasingly closer to the Democrats, endorsing his two-time opponent, Horatio Seymour for the New York gubernatorial race in 1862 and supporting George McClellan for the presidency at the 1864 Democratic National Convention.

On June 13, 1864, Hunt was at Niagara Falls to confer with Confederate Commissioner Jacob Thompson.

Hunt, a West Point graduate, who was killed in October 1863 while working with an experimental weapons system.