Here’s a little bit of post-Christmas schadenfreude to get you to New Year’s weekend: Republican presidential candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry have failed to qualify for Virginia’s Republican primary on March 6.
The state of Virginia requires candidates to submit 10,000 signatures from registered voters—including at least 400 form each congressional district—by Thursday, December 22, at 5pm.
Reports MSNBC:
“After verification, RPV has determined that Newt Gingrich did not submit required 10k signatures and has not qualified for the VA primary,” the Republican Party of Virginia announced early Saturday via Twitter.
Gingrich’s campaign attacked Virginia’s primary system on Saturday, saying that “only a failed system” would disqualify Gingrich and other candidates and vowing to run a write-in campaign.
“Voters deserve the right to vote for any top contender, especially leading candidates,” Gingrich campaign director Michael Krull said in a statement. “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.”
Unfortunately, Newt, Virginia election laws don’t allow for write-in votes in primaries.
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Gingrich has taken the lead over Mitt Romney in some polls but this misstep is a real embarrassment for the former Speaker of the House: Virginia has been Gingrich’s home state since he left Congress in 1999.
The candidate claimed he had enough signatures but wanted to present them in person. Is that politician-speak for “The dog ate my homework?”
Virginia’s unique election laws also tripped up Rick Perry’s campaign team, who called the omission an “isolated situation” in a statement to the press:
“We will closely review the facts and law to determine whether an appeal or challenge is warranted… Governor Perry has the utmost respect for the strong place Virginia holds in our nation’s economic and military strength and in American history. He will continue to work hard to build strong support in Virginia and earn the trust of conservative-minded voters there.”
Romney and Ron Paul did present enough signatures to get on the Virginia primary ballot, but MSNBC reports it remains unclear if Michele Bachmann or Rick Santorum made the deadline.
Images via Gage Skidmore
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kawneekwa
You is my fave Republican. I lovs you pig newton!
Ian
@kawneekwa: Love that… Pig Newton. 🙂
Cam
He LIVES in Va. and yet couldn’t qualify for the ballot in the state he lives in.
JohnAGJ
As a Virginian myself let me just say that this was a helluva Christmas present. Now methinks I’ll vote for Romney in the primary to spite Paul and then Independent in the fall to spite them all.
GayGOP
I’m a would be Virginian. I cannot help but rejoice at this.
Steve
An essential piece of information is missing from all coverage of this failure:
Is this because the two campaigns each failed to mount a get-the-signatures effort, or because a lot of people refused to sign their petitions?
btseven
I love it ” Pig Newton” So his campaign director says that they will aggressively pursue the republican party on the Virgina elections laws. In other words they will strong arm the officials to write in Newt and possibly Perry. The mantra of the republican party is ..Yeah well I fucked up , you better do what I say , or I will fuck you up!
TASTEY GOODIES
RICK PERRY MUST BE NOMINATED FOR THE “BIGGEST DOUCHE IN THE UNIVERSE” AWARD. I FEEL BAD 4 ALL OF MY FELLOW GLBT TEXANS CUZ WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS EXCEPTIONALLY BIGOTED AND DELUSIONED EXCUSE OF A CARBON- BASED LIFE FORM. HE IS A WALKING VOMIT BAG.