Gingrich Will Mount Write-in Campaign for Virginia GOP Primary

By Jason Dick
Roll Call Staff
Dec. 24, 2011, 11:22 a.m.
Updated: 1:15 p.m.

The presidential campaign of former Speaker Newt Gingrich today blamed "a failed system" for the Georgian's inability to qualify for the Virginia Republican primary next year, vowing to pursue a write-in campaign to secure its candidate's place on the ballot.

Gingrich and Texas Gov. Rick Perry failed to submit the required 10,000 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot, the Republican Party of Virginia announced late Friday.

"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 candidates of their choice," Gingrich Campaign Director Michael Krull said in a release. However, the commonwealth does not allow write-ins in its primary elections."

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Rep. Ron Paul (Texas) qualified for the ballot, having turned in the required number of valid signatures.

The Virginia Democratic Party announced Friday that President Barack Obama also submitted the required number of signatures. Furthermore, the party said that because Obama is the only Democratic candidate for president, the State Board of Elections is expected to cancel its primary and allow the Commonwealth's Democrats to forward all their delegates to the national convention to cast their vote for him.