Posted on 12/23/2011 10:20:59 PM PST by Plutarch
UPDATE (12.53am): Sources at RPV are telling me that the 2,000 signatures do not have addresses on them… meaning that they cannot be verified. Newt Gingrich may very well be off the ticket in Virginia, folks…
Rumor has it this evening that one of the petition gatherers was not qualified to circulate petitions… which technically disqualifies those signatures in Virginia.
This would mean that the only two campaigns that qualified in the Virginia primary will be Ron Paul and Mitt Romney.
However… and there’s always a however… former State Senator Marty Williams back in 2007 was accused of having a handler circulate petitions to get him on the ballot that was not legally able to do so. The court ruled that, though the petitioner was not legally entitled to circulate the petitions, the enfranchisement of those who did sign the petitions trumped the lack of qualifications the petition gatherer held.
Ergo, even if this report is right, Gingrich will have the names needed to qualify for the Virginia ballot.
If… these reports are true…
I’ll write him in just to keep the delegates away from Mittens....the thought of voting for Ron Paul to do the same thing gives me pause.
This whole signature thing is good to keep the wackos off of ballots, but when candidates that are nationally polling over 10% are excluded, there is something wrong. In the end, the convention can still override the primary, so why all the hubbub. Are whores looking for payments? Pork? Favors?
I’m going to write into.....if allowed
It would be a serious backfire on them if that should be the case and Paul wins
Newt’s so smart he can’t even get the paperwork done right.
You DET a security clearance “de facto” by being elected to Congress. The act of being constitutionally elected gives the “security validation”. So yes a absolute spy & traitor could be elected. Now Paul probably had at least a Secret clearance while an Air Force doctor.
It’s disappointing but I’m not going to slash my wrists. We can all say Newt and Perry ‘coulda woulda shoulda’ but it didn’t get done. I understand we can’t write in on primary ballots, so no sense wasting gas on 3/6/12. There are, what? 11 OTHER primaries/caucuses that day. Thank GOD the VA primary is now on “Super Tuesday,” and not critical to the nominating process as it as in 2000.
I really resent all this conspiracy crap on these threads. The campaigns knew what was required. It was the campaigns, not RPV, McDonnell, or anyone else who failed. RPV hosted a major luncheon for Perry in September and a big luncheon for Newt earlier this week. There was no conspiracy to keep them off the ballot. The folks I know who are still active in the RPV have to be seriously disappointed. The two who DID qualify have both run for POTUS before, so were better situated for this signature collection.
I received a call as a Virginia republican requesting me to go out and sign a petition for Newt — like 3 days ago, on the 21st. With it being the holiday season and having a million things to do — it was just too short notice for me. I wonder why his campaign didn’t work on it sooner — even 2 weeks ago would have been better. It was just THIS WEEK they were making these calls. Was there a reason for this being done so last minute ..maybe there is — I’m not begrudging them.
I would have gladly signed it ...but there is also the issue of traffic right now in N. Va — it can take easily 2 hrs to get from one side of town to another. The signature deal was taking place in Alexandria, the opposite end of town.
Will write in Newt whether it’s legal or not — basturds.
The last minute race for signatures probably has to do with funding in Newt’s case. And the fact that he probably didn’t expect to be a frontrunner until the past month or so.
I never even got a call, but have moved since the last presidential election. Do wish they’d called; I have 3 voters in my home, and we live in Alexandria. Even tho I am for Newt, I’d have happily signed a petition for Perry.
Leaving only the Mitt/Paul option is depressing. Guess we won’t have to worry about NOVA traffic or wasting gas on 3/6/12. Thank God there are @ 11 other primaries/caucuses that day.
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How do you beat Obama if you have no organization? The Obama organization is formidable and if your campaign can’t collect signatures how can it run not only against Obama but run the country? This is a problem. Also bad staff work.
Agreed. It took Reagan 3 presidential primaries to finally win. The great conservative hope isn't going just jump out of the Pumpkin Patch to be annointed. He or she will have to work for it and build an organization and that sometimes takes years - not months or weeks.
does this mean Newt and Perry will be excluded from the debates?
The FIX is in..remember that Paul and Romney have both run for president before and know how the political machine works. Paul is very experienced at running..how many times? I want to know if this means Newt and Perry are excluded from the debates in Virginia? Iowa has been way too loooooooooooooooooong.
Thanks very much.
Merry CHRISTmas!
2,000 signatures with no addresses? I cannot believe that to be true. The form used for the signatures requires the entry of the person’s address. Why didn’t the signature gatherers make sure these forms were filled out properly? How did the signers get the idea that they did not have to fill in their address? This thing stinks to high heaven and the Virginia Republican Party will have hell to pay if signatures lacked address entries.
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