Republican Hunter Claims $174K Not Enough To Live On

Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who has pleaded not guilty to charges of misusing campaign money to pay for personal items, said Thursday his $174,000 annual salary does not provide him with enough money to live in his southern California congressional district.

"I mean, $174,000 per year is what a member of Congress makes. Do you think they should make more than that, is it not enough to live on?" Fox News host Martha MacCallum asked Hunter in his first TV interview since charges were filed Tuesday.

"It depends where you live. It's difficult to live in a place like San Francisco or San Diego or New York or D.C.," said Hunter, whose district includes part of San Diego. "It's probably easier to live in Kansas or Missouri, so it's all relative."

Hunter's salary was more than two and a half times greater than the median household income of a California family: $64,500.

In addition, in 2016, the average median income nationwide was $59,039.