CAMPAIGN 2012

Gingrich, Perry Fail to Qualify for Virginia Primary

Richard Shiro/AP

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, left, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry will both not appear on Virginia's primary ballot.

Updated: December 24, 2011 | 11:17 a.m.
December 23, 2011 | 6:47 p.m.

It's a two-way race for Virginia's 50 delegates on March 6.

Early on Saturday, Newt Gingrich became the latest candidate to not qualify for the ballot, the Republican Party of Virginia announced. On Friday evening, Texas Gov. Rick Perry was also disqualified by the state Republican party.

Gingrich and Perry failed to collect the requisite 10,000 signatures required to appear on the ballot, according to the state's Republican Party.

"We will closely review the facts and law to determine whether an appeal or challenge is warranted," Perry Communications Director Ray Sullivan said in a statement.

The disqualification means that Gingirch, who resides in McLean, Va., will not even be able to vote for himself.

A write-in campaign is what Gingrich is planning.

"We will work with the Republican Party of Virginia to pursue an aggressive write-in campaign to make sure that all the voters of Virginia are able to vote for the candidate of their choice," Gingrich Campaign Director Michael Krull said in a statement.

However, it is not possible to write-in candidates in Virginia presidential primaries. A sample ballot, as well as results from the state's 2008 presidential primary lack any write-ins.

The University of Virginia's Larry Sabato tweeted, "I'm well familiar w/VA primary ballots, D & R. There is NO write-in possible on primary ballots."

Three other GOP hopefuls, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, and Jon Huntsman, failed to make the state's 5 p.m. Thursday filing deadline.

Mitt Romney and Ron Paul will be the only two candidates to appear on the ballot, as both were certified.

Rebecca Kaplan and Sarah Huisenga contributed

Want to stay ahead of the curve? Sign up for National Journal’s AM & PM Must Reads. News and analysis to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

Leave a Comment
The National Journal Group has the right (but not the obligation) to monitor the comments and to remove any materials it deems inappropriate.
Comments powered by Disqus
Follow National Journal
  • NationalJournal on Twitter
  • NationalJournal on Facebook
  • NationalJournal on Tumblr
  • NationalJournal's RSS Feeds
  • NationalJournal's Email Newsletters
  • NationalJournal on iPhone and iPad
Columns
Josh Kraushaar: Against the Grain

Tea Party Takeover

9:30 p.m.
Anti-establishment Republicans could score upsets in four Senate battlegrounds.
Juliana Gruenwald: Wired In Washington

Despite Concerns, Verizon's Bid for More Spectrum Likely to Be Approved

9:30 p.m.
As the nation’s biggest wireless provider bids for more spectrum, competitors and critics air familiar arguments.
Charlie Cook: Charlie Cook's Off to the Races

Changing Times

May 14, 2012
Republicans need to think hard about their own message in light of public’s shifting attitude toward same-sex marriage.
More Columns »