Virginia court likely to allow Gingrich, Huntsman, Perry and Santorum on the ballot

Hotair ^ | 01/10/2012 | Tina Korbe

[SeekAndFind]

The Virginia primary isn’t until March 6; who knows what will happen between now and then? Perhaps one or more candidates among Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum will have gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure their names will appear on the Virginia ballot only to be out of the race by the beginning of March anyway.

Nevertheless, those left out in the cold in Old Dominion haven’t given up without a fight — and it looks like they might win it after all. Recall that Perry has filed a ballot access lawsuit — in which he was joined by Gingrich, Huntsman and Santorum. Today, Judge John Gibney filed a five-page order in which he suggests “there is a strong likelihood that the Court will find the residency requirement for petition circulators to be unconstitutional.”

More from The Heritage Foundation’s Hans von Spakovsky:

Yesterday, Judge Gibney ordered the Virginia State Board of Elections to notify all local county electoral boards that they are barred “from ordering any ballots” or “from mailing out any absentee ballots” until after the judge holds a hearing on the case on January 13. The judge says in the order that he will make a decision on the merits of the temporary restraining order (TRO) and preliminary injunction being sought by the candidates on the 13th.

Additionally, the ACLU of Virginia filed an amicus brief today on the side of the Republican presidential candidates, arguing that Virginia’s 10,000-signature requirement for a presidential candidate to appear on the ballot “reduces the quantity of [political] speech available in Virginia, and directly infringes on the First Amendment rights of candidates, voters, petition circulators, and political parties.”

The ACLU also argues that Virginia’s residency requirement for petition circulators is not narrowly tailored to serve a compelling government interest. In fact, the ACLU says that Virginia has “fail[ed] even to articulate a compelling interest.” It asks the court to grant the plaintiffs’ request for a TRO and a preliminary injunction. Looks like the judge agrees with the ACLU.

This has been a debacle from the beginning, and I’m still of the mindset that the failure of the candidates to meet the requirements says more about their campaign organization than the absurdity of the Virginia requirements — but, in the end, if Mitt Romney and a non-Mitt Romney are in a very, very tight race as of March 6, voters will likely be very grateful for this judge’s probable decision.

[annieokie]

My state also has closed primaries, also have to show an ID this year, good on us.

BUT, I want all states like this. What will it take? Are the other states just satisfied with having their elections highjacked, which in the Presidential Election affects all of us, and I am mad as a wet hen.

How much common sense does it take to see what is happening, the people in charge need to wake up.

[EternalVigilance]

An open political association like the current Republican Party is one of the stupidest political concoctions anyone ever came up with.

It’s like owning a big mansion on the edge of the ‘hood and putting a big sign on the front lawn that says “anyone who wants to can live here, and if you move in, you and everyone you bring with you will have a say in how the place is run.”

Just how long do you think the place is going to be livable for you and your family?

[nickcarraway]

But is it really going to work out well? It leaves all the moderates to decide the GOP candidate. Aren’t a lot of conservatives no longer registered Republicans?

[nickcarraway]

I don’t like the fact that only 2 candidates I don’t like were in a primary in a state. But I don’t like the fact that Republicans have completely abandoned the rule of law for good. Are we going to be better of when the GOP stands for NOTHING?

[greeneyes]

I think I read somewhere that in another case a court had ruled that requiring residency for petition circulators was an infringement of voting rights/ballot access. So I have been expecting the court to find in favor of adding the other candidates.

[annieokie]

I don't have the answers, but something needs to be done.

If a person wants to run as a Republican they also need to be Republican, NOT LIBRATARIAN, whoever let that bastard child in the Republican party?

That is what makes Ron Paul such a dangerous as well as loony person. He is running in a party of which he is not, that is just dishonest, he is USING everything good about the gullible Republican party and destroying us with it.

If he should win, the populace will then assume that we are all Libertarian idiots. The Democrats will never stop laughing at us.

I can't believe what is happening. Of course I couldn't believe that in 2008 either, but he was a Democrat and it's legal/sport to laugh at them, they don't stand for anything moral anyway. BUT US?????? What has happened to my party, and there is no other party to go to. I'm old and tired.

[Sun]

“My two biggest wishes: Voter ID laws and CLOSED GOP PRIMARIES”

You said it!

Americans should pick American leaders, and Republicans should pick Republican candidates!