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Day Two of the Great VA GOP Meltdown
Red State ^ | 24th December 2011 | Moe Lane

Posted on 12/24/2011 8:20:24 AM PST by shield

For those coming in late, let me summarize*: both Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry have been excluded from the Virginia Republican primary by the Virginia GOP. This has placed the VA GOP in an awkward situation, given that: they have excluded the current national and Virginian front-runner from their own ballot; have currently no write-in option on the ballot; do have an open primary that anyone can vote in; and generally have created an environment peculiarly suited for conspiracy theories involving Mitt Romney (and ones that won’t contain the word ‘Mormon’ anywhere in their description, by the way). The current defenses to all of this are “rules are rules” and “any campaign that couldn’t follow them are by definition poor campaigns:” I will leave it to the individual reader to decide just how either argument will play in, say, Peoria; I am frankly of the opinion that the above defenses are well-suited towards reassuring Romney and/or Paul voters – and will do very little to persuade the other 60-65% or so of likely Republican primary voters.

But since I’m telling Mitt Romney what won’t help his situation, it kind of behooves me to tell him what might.

(Excerpt) Read more at redstate.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: commievirginia; frontrunner; gingrich; newtgingrich; perry; vagopcriminal; virginia; virginiagop; virginiaprimary; virginiasocialism
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To: greeneyes

I know and you are correct. It is pathetic as I have been a conserv since I was 15 and now am 73. Yikes. The DCers should just give up the leadership to new people but of course, they would rather be loved by the MSM than win.


261 posted on 12/24/2011 12:52:58 PM PST by phillyfanatic
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To: phillyfanatic

You have me beat! Age 17 and now 60 plus. LOL


262 posted on 12/24/2011 12:54:55 PM PST by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

This fight has only just begun. It is the straw that broke the Elephant’s back!


263 posted on 12/24/2011 12:55:57 PM PST by PSYCHO-FREEP (If you come to a fork in the road, take it........)
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To: P-Marlowe
No the Definition of Arbitrary. The Legal definition you say you cited.
264 posted on 12/24/2011 12:57:03 PM PST by Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
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To: C. Edmund Wright

It likely will mean fifty delegates for Dr. Paul will be going to the convention... Much as I know your irrational hatred for him, that doesn’t render the primary meaningless.


265 posted on 12/24/2011 12:58:44 PM PST by dcwusmc (A FREE People have no sovereign save Almighty GOD!!! III OK We are EVERYWHERE!!!)
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To: C. Edmund Wright

It likely will mean fifty delegates for Dr. Paul will be going to the convention... Much as I know your irrational hatred for him, that doesn’t render the primary meaningless.


266 posted on 12/24/2011 12:58:47 PM PST by dcwusmc (A FREE People have no sovereign save Almighty GOD!!! III OK We are EVERYWHERE!!!)
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To: C. Edmund Wright

It likely will mean fifty delegates for Dr. Paul will be going to the convention... Much as I know your irrational hatred for him, that doesn’t render the primary meaningless.


267 posted on 12/24/2011 12:58:53 PM PST by dcwusmc (A FREE People have no sovereign save Almighty GOD!!! III OK We are EVERYWHERE!!!)
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To: shield

OPEN primaries gave us McInsane and Dole!! STOP THE MADNESS!!! Do Democrats have OPEN Primaries??? Of COURSE THEY DO NOT!!! We are NOT called the stupid party for nothing!!


268 posted on 12/24/2011 1:01:41 PM PST by Ann Archy ( ABORTION...the HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: shield
So why is that the Wisconsin attorney general says that signatures of Hitler and Mickey Mouse will be accepted, but our side is all too willing to go to the other extreme and disqualify candidates in such a heavy handed way?

-PJ

269 posted on 12/24/2011 1:04:04 PM PST by Political Junkie Too (If you can vote for President, then your children can run for President.)
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To: greeneyes

*I* am one of the ‘disenfranchised’ Virginia voters. My similarly ‘disenfranchised’ lawyer spouse just read the pertinent section of the VA Code and says it’s pretty clear that primary write-ins will be excluded, “shall not be allowed.” So maybe we could go to the polls and write in our candidates, but to what avail if it’s only going to be excluded?

If anything, I feel ‘disenfranchised’ by the campaign of the guy I’d have voted for. People can grumble now, after the fact, that the qualifications in VA are too difficult but in ‘08 SIX GOP candidates made the primary ballot under the same rules. I recall signing a petition or two in ‘08.

In ‘11 neither I nor anyone in my household received the first call from a campaign to sign a petition, which we’d have done happily for both Perry and Gingrich. Other VA GOP voters have similarly written on here of not having received the first call or email about signing petitions. One VA FReeper reached out to the various campaigns, offering to collect signatures, and got no response, except from Romney.

As to the database, we had a general election last month. Due to redistricting, every registered voter was issued a new voting card in October. We’ve moved since the last presidential election, but our new voter cards came to the current address. So that makes me think the data base is probably as up to date as possible. RPV would have done everything they could to be sure they were working with the very latest information available to the Electoral Board.

It’s unfortunate and disappointing to have this outcome, but it’s not fatal. The nomination doesn’t depend on the VA primary. Perhaps this will make the candidates and their campaign teams realize what a ground game these elections are.


270 posted on 12/24/2011 1:07:01 PM PST by EDINVA
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To: gitmo

Is there anyone besides Romney on the ballot?
yea, billy club, jim nazium, joe baga donuts, joe sh## the ragman, Joe magaddats, louis the looper, and ron paul


271 posted on 12/24/2011 1:07:10 PM PST by ronnie raygun (V)
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To: Las Vegas Ron
...That's all good, but, during Primary season, all standards are suspended and abuse buttons get worn out.
...If anyone needs one that works, FReepmail me, or you can use this one.
[Report Abuse ] /sarc
272 posted on 12/24/2011 1:20:27 PM PST by gargoyle (...a well informed public and a well regulated militia...)
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To: EDINVA
To be sure the GOP does not have to accept write ins and will not, if sufficient heat is not generated through the party members and/or legal challenge.

In other states, the voter's rights have sometimes trumped party rules as well as state law.

It would be best to challenge this in time to get it settled before the primary ballots are printed.

If 65% of the voters wrote in someone else’s name and then filed suit under equal protection and disenfranchisement, the court might rule in favor of voter's rights.That's kinda like a hail mary.

It sucks to be sure. Sounds like the conservatives need to get on the primary ballots as precinct chairman and take over the Republican leadership. Then make the changes they think will make for a better process.

273 posted on 12/24/2011 1:29:37 PM PST by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: P-Marlowe

“...apparently this is the first time in VA history that the VA GOP actually bothered to cross check the addresses.”

Key word, “apparently.” We don’t know that that is true. We’re to take the word of an unnamed source in politico? What’s happened to FR?

I am going to wait till I hear from someone who was actually at the certification all day yesterday thru 3am today, and who was also there in ‘08 when SIX GOP hopefuls managed to get on the ballot under the same requirements.


274 posted on 12/24/2011 1:37:31 PM PST by EDINVA
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To: PSYCHO-FREEP

The Republican Party switched to proportional delegates at the convention this year. It’s no longer winner takes all.


275 posted on 12/24/2011 1:42:56 PM PST by JerseyanExile
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To: bwc2221

I read where the people responsible for pushing the dates up are connected to the Romney campaign. He was the only one who really benefited from this.

He’s slimy. I don’t trust people who will do or say anything to gain power. Sorry but I hope Ron Paul wins VA and I DETEST him and his crazy psychophants more than anything. For all we know Mitt could have simply padded his signatures ala the ACORN method in order to keep from having them combed through with a fine tooth comb. He made a big deal about having over the 15,000 signatures and there were simply his shills hitting twitter, blogs, news sites, and other social means saying the same thing. Remember, Romney’s operatives were the ones sandbagging Palin.


276 posted on 12/24/2011 1:51:54 PM PST by CajunConservative ( Leadership. It is defined by action, not position.)
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To: CajunConservative; PSYCHO-FREEP

Read this article.

VA Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling is Romney’s VA Campaign Chair....This VA mess stinks & Perry & Newt should challenge the ruling!

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/dec/20/bolling-ties-2013-hopes-to-romney/


277 posted on 12/24/2011 2:13:17 PM PST by JulieRNR21 (*OMG ...means Obama Must Go in 2012!)
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To: mnehring
This primary is turning into a complete cluster

It had to. How else are they going to get Obama re-elected?

278 posted on 12/24/2011 2:18:04 PM PST by sjmjax (Politicans are like bananas - they start out green, turn yellow, then rot.)
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To: shield
Wow, this is one of the most leftwing articles ever on Red State. Every state has certain rules about getting on the ballot in their state. If any candidate doesn't follow those rules, should the laws be changed and they get special treatment? Candidate welfare? Bail out? If that's the case, why even bother being called conservative anymore? Competition is bad? We should "level the playing field?" Wow. If anyone agrees with this article, they should probably just vote for Obama, since they've ceased to believe in the rule of law.
279 posted on 12/24/2011 2:23:46 PM PST by nickcarraway
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To: Tribune7

It’s hard to believe that one socialist would get on the ballot, and a bunch of other socialists wouldn’t.


280 posted on 12/24/2011 2:28:49 PM PST by nickcarraway
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