Political Hotsheet
By

David Morgan /

CBS News/ December 24, 2011, 11:19 AM

Gingrich camp assails Virginia's "failed system"

Gingrich: Over-regulation stymies private sector

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich.

/ CBS
The campaign of Newt Gingrich assailed a "failed system" for his failure to make it onto the ballot for the Virginia Republican primary.

The state GOP announced early Saturday morning that Gingrich's campaign had failed to submit the required number of signatures to qualify for the March 6 primary. On Friday it was announced that Texas Gov. Rick Perry had also failed to qualify.

Gingrich, Perry fail to make Va. Ballot

The state's election board requires candidates petitioning for inclusion in the primary to file 10,000 signatures from registered voters, including 400 from each of Virginia's 11 congressional districts.

It was reported Thursday that Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman were also off the ballot. So far, only former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Congressman Ron Paul are officially on the primary ballot.

On Saturday Newt 2012 released the following statement from Campaign Director Michael Krull:

"Only a failed system excludes four out of the six major candidates seeking access to the ballot. Voters deserve the right to vote for any top contender, especially leading candidates. 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."

They will have to get VERY aggressive: Under Virginia law (§ 24.2-529), write-in votes are not allowed on ballots in primary elections.

© 2011 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
  • David Morgan

    David Morgan is a senior editor at CBSNews.com and cbssundaymorning.com.

315 Comments Add a Comment
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Orca_Nunchuka says:
Is he Pro Life or Pro Republican Party which is out to destroy life if it can control rich oil regions?
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rogerr9 says:
With all due respect, Mr. Gingrich should put the blame where it belongs: on the candidates who failed to qualify. The voters of Virginia are smart enough that they won't sign for incompetent candidates.
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CaardVaark says:
Ron Paul is busy delivering babies and he overlooks some nasty comments in a newsletter. Newt Gingrich is busy being a politician and he overlooks the requirements for getting his name on the ballot in Va. Hmmmmmmmm.
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tryhonesty says:
Just another RepubliCON Greedy OLD Party MORON who wants to ruin the United States, Gingass can't even run his own campaign...
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occupy_cbs says:
bajajohn1: "Typical Republican, blaming everyone else for his incompetence and ineptitude."



Yes, amazing how these hypocritical republicans want everyone else to be personally responsible, but not themselves.
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occupy_cbs replies:
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Neoliberal republicans fool.....
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occupy_cbs says:
nancy_naive:
10,000 signatures... The man LIVES in Virginia, fos $#!^'s sake and he couldn't be bothered to raise 10,000 signatures?



Proof that newt's campaign doesn't have either the money or the organization in many states, to compete or even get on the ballot!
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Ruler4You says:
We all know that this is only one tool being used against voters all across the nation and "IS", also, only one form of election fraud. Just like gerrymandering, voting machine tampering (now found to be wildly rampant across the nation), Ballot box stuffing (remember Florida?) 'Street money' as it is called, and a host of other tactics and techniques used by liars and cheats who couldn't win if the election were a fair one voter one vote event.
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starving1968-3 says:
So if you lose at a board game, say checkers or monopoly, it's the game's rules that are at fault, and the games are considered "failed" because you didn't play the game correctly?


What a tool.
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sobobx says:
He's the Tony Romo of politics. Not talented enough, but does just enough to get by to con his way into another season of work. Big first quarter guy, but lousy closer. Can't win the big one and can find every excuse and entity to blame for his failings. Any day now we'll hear from the Gingrich camp that it is all Jessica Simpson's fault.
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royalstar05 says:
So now its Virginia's fault, and not this fatazz loser scumbags fault. Go figure. Newt, your a douchbag.
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