I think just Romney, Newt and Paul. VA is being stupid by having such a tough signature requirement so many weeks prior to the primary—campaigns have to spend money to gather signatures during Christmas season when they’re fighting for support in IA and NH.
If VA wants candidates to clear a high hurdle to appear on the ballot, fine, but don’t make the deadline prior to the IA caucuses; if this is how they ran things in 1996, I assume that Gramm made the VA ballot (despite not even making it to NH) but Buchanan couldn’t.
I see that not only did I not read the article, I didn’t even read the headline! If Newt doesn’t make the ballot, Romney and Paul will be the only names on tbe VA ballot. I think the state will set a new record for write-in votes.