Newt's campaign responded to the decision that he was not on the ballot by talking about a write in campaign, which is expressly prohibited in primaries by VA law. It made him look even sillier. Perhaps Newt didn't think he would be in the position he is in now when the candidates were notified about the requirments in March or when he announced that he would run for the nomination in May. July was the month that the petitions could be started. Newt had almost 6 months to gather 10,000 valid signatures with at least 400 coming from VA's 11 Congressional districts. This is not a high bar to meet for someone who has the political contacts as the former Speaker in a state where he has lived for 10 years. Casting blame on others and decrying the rules just doesn't cut it.
I don't like the fact that we will have just two Rep candidates on the ballot in the March. I wish all of the current ones were on it. I am particularly disappointed that Santorum and Bachmann didn't even bother to try.
>>Perhaps Newt didn’t think he would be in the position he is in now when the candidates were notified about the requirments in March or when he announced that he would run for the nomination in May...
I think that is the real crux of it...I don’t think Newt thought for a second he would be in this position (near the lead) at this point, so it(the VA requirements) really wasn’t a concern. Did anyone else, 6 months ago, believe it either?
>>The fact that Newt had to fly back from NH on Dec 21 in a frantic effort to gather signatures one day before the deadline speaks volumes about his campaign organization. It is inexcusable for a serious candidate, especially for someone who has lived 10 years in the state, which happens to be in the community where I live as well. >>
No, the fact that you are standing up for an arbitrary law that favors perennnial candidates and more established candidates and bureaucratic control speaks volumes about your conservatism, which you have trashed for all to see over the last few days.
The notion that a candidate should have to find 400 signatures in some of the hell hole hard core Democrat enclaves in Virginia is simply a sop to the establishment machines. Your stance will certainly be discredited as this thing plays out by either Virginia GOP caving in or losing a lawsuit or by them holding their two man primary and becoming the laughingstock of Super Tuesday as on the “serious” states are even discussed.
But again, your faux conservatism and pro-bureaucratic pro-established candidates stance has been duly noted dozens of times.