Romney after suspending his campaign in 2008 -image donklephant.com
The Virginia Republican Party has announced that both Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry have failed to qualify for the primary ballot in the Commonwealth(AP)
From the Website of the Commonwealth one finds that the information was sent as a ”Tweet” noting both Paul and Romney qualified by submitting the required 10,000 signatures, although both the Perry and Gingrich Campaigns had submitted over the required amount. Signatures can be challenged in any State as valid, and the State’s Party determines eligibility.
In addition, one cannot write in their candidate’s name in a primary election (see Commonwealth’s voting procedures here) , only in a general election.
The Party, apparently, makes up the rules for those who would run on their ballot, which is, in essence reasonable. However, with it known that the general Republican Leadership prefers Romney, regardless of the fact that he may not carry the election, blocking his competition in Virginia appears somewhat risky.
Ron Paul, who came in third in a recent poll conducted by Quinnipiac, now is, in essence, the only choice Virginia Republicans and Independents, have besides Mitt Romney. With his usual strong grassroots support, vis a vis a weak Elitist Republican base in most states and Commonwealths, a Ron Paul win in Virginia is now not out of the question. Virginia is an open primary state, refer to Ron Paul Website here. There were questions as to whether Gingrich would have time to acquire the 10,000 signatures necessary to be placed on the ballot, he did and went over the required amount, by 1000 plus, however, signature’s can be challenged in elections and it is necessary to have above and beyond the required signatures, as the Party has the right to reject signatures they feel may not be accurate.
Normally, that amount is between 500 and 1,000 signatures, which would have put Gingrich and Perry within the margins. However, Virginia is known for its extremely tough primary signature requirements, therefore, a 1000 plus overage would have given the Republican Party the ability to question 1000 plus signatures as invalid, eliminating the candidates.
Historical aspect:
Virginia goes to the polls on Super Tuesday, in 2008; Romney managed to garner only 3% of the vote and was bested by Ron Paul. Needless to say, Ron Paul supporters are ecstatic as the prospect that they are facing Mitt Romney in this contest alone. (John McCain won the vote in 2008 followed by Huckabee then Paul, then Romney, then Fred Thompson see return of votes here.
The full 2012 Republican Parity schedule is shown below, with, states Romney carried in 2008 noted. Once Romney left the northeast and upper Western States he was virtually finished. In addition, Romney’s continued use of negative attack ads on opponents (CNN 2007, did little to endear him to the electorate primary voters. Those candidates that had either positive and/or contrast ads, pulled out wins – with last men standing John McCain and Mike Huckabee. Romney suspended his campaign in March of 2008. The question remains will Romney be able to carry the states necessary to continue his campaign beyond March in 2012? Iowa is currently up for grabs, with conflicting polls, most of which show a tight race between Paul, Gingrich, Santorum and Romney. In New Hampshire, Ron Paul is chasing Romney while Romney is not polling well In South Carolina, which has Gingrich in the lead, as well as in Florida where, again, Gingrich is up over Romney by double digits (Real Clear Politics). It appears that Gingrich is sewing up the South, while Paul is on Romney’s heels in more moderate states won in the last election.
2012 Primary/Caucus Calendar
January 3, 2012 Iowa (caucus)
January 10, 2012 New Hampshire (primary)
January 21, 2012 South Carolina (primary)
January 31, 2012 Florida (primary)
February 4, 2012 Nevada (caucus) (Romney)
February 4–11, 2012 Maine (caucus) (Romney)
February 7, 2012 Colorado (caucus) (Romney)
Minnesota (caucus) (Romney)
Missouri (primary) – *See note below on Missouri
February 28, 2012 Arizona (primary)
Michigan (primary) (Romney)
March 3, 2012 Washington (caucus)
March 6, 2012
(Super Tuesday) Alaska (caucus) (Romney)
Georgia (primary)
Idaho (caucus)
Massachusetts (primary) (Romney)
North Dakota (caucus) (Romney)
Ohio (primary)
Oklahoma (primary)
Tennessee (primary)
Vermont (primary)
Virginia (primary)
March 6-10, 2012 Wyoming (caucus) (Romney)
March 10, 2012 Kansas (caucus)
U.S. Virgin Islands (caucus)
March 13, 2012 Alabama (primary)
Hawaii (caucus)
Mississippi (primary)
March 17, 2012 Missouri (GOP caucus) – *See note below on Missouri
March 20, 2012 Illinois (primary)
March 24, 2012 Louisiana (primary)
April 3, 2012 District of Columbia (primary)
Maryland (primary)
Wisconsin (primary)
Texas (primary)
April 24, 2012 Connecticut (primary)
Delaware (primary)
New York (primary)
Pennsylvania (primary)
Rhode Island (primary)
May 8, 2012 Indiana (primary)
North Carolina (primary)
West Virginia (primary)
May 15, 2012 Nebraska (primary)
Oregon (primary)
May 22, 2012 Arkansas (primary)
Kentucky (primary)
June 5, 2012 California (primary)
Montana (primary) (Romney)
New Jersey (primary)
New Mexico (primary)
South Dakota (primary)
June 26, 2012 Utah (primary)(Romney)
No comments:
Post a Comment