Democrats have recruited a candidate for the California seat of retiring GOP Congressman/presidential candidate Duncan Hunter. Retired Navy SEAL Mike Lumpkin has announced his candidacy for the seat, and is already taking aim at Hunter's attempt to pass the seat on to his son, Marine Captain Duncan D. Hunter.

"Our nation faces serious challenges. Now, more than ever, the people of California’s 52nd Congressional District deserve an experienced leader to represent them," Lumpkin said at his kickoff event over the weekend. "A congressional seat is too important to pass from father to son as a birthright because of name recognition, when America’s future is at stake."

Whether Duncan D. Hunter gets the GOP nomination or not, Lumpkin still faces an uphill battle. As CQ noted, the district voted 61% for President Bush in 2004.

Hard-core conservative GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter won't seek reelection -- clearing the way for his 30-year-old son to inherit the seat (presuming that's okay with the district's voters, of course). Hunter the Elder's spokesperson confirmed to The Hill that he won't be running again, and his kid -- an Iraq war veteran whose name is also Duncan Hunter -- told the paper that he'd be announcing his candidacy sometime in April.