The Virginian-Pilot
©
RICHMOND
“Is this the Gingrich bill?” Del. John Cosgrove, R-Chesapeake, wanted to know.
No, replied Del. Mark Cole, R-Spotsylvania County, his bill in the Virginia House of Delegates won’t help former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who failed to qualify for Virginia’s March 6 Republican presidential primary.
The ballots for that race have already been printed, Cole said, and they will contain only two names: former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Rep. Ron Paul. Gingrich supporters will be unable to vote for their man, because current law prohibits write-ins in primary elections.
Cole’s measure,HB1132, would remove that prohibition, permitting parties to allow write-ins if they wish. But even if it wins passage, it will come too late to affect the March election.
The bill was approved 4-2 by a House subcommittee today.
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
A shameful cop out.
If HB1132 was a measure to allow Gingrich and Santorum a write-in for the March 6th primary, then it is a shameful cop-out. It also appears that SB510 sponsored by Sen. Frank Wagner is meant to do just that. Here we have professional politicians who have been in politics for many years and know that election law varies in each state. But they couldn't get their act together like Dr. Ron Paul and Gov. Romney so they have sour grapes and join Gov. Rick Perry's suit. It appears that Sen Wagner's bill is an emergency to bail out Gingrich and Santorum and if passed would go into effect immediately if it is signed into law in time for the primary. It's appalling. I would expect such a move from democrats, but not someone like Wagner. What a shame
It's kind of funny when you think about it...
Gingrich has dusted off his Angry White Guy routine from the '90s. He really is a smart guy, why can't he come up with a new approach?
It's funny when he blasts Romney for being rich while he makes about $3 Million a year. At least Romney admits he's part of the elite and pays a lower tax rate as a result.
I think what really makes Newt angry is that he's not getting the low tax rate Romney is, even though the windfall profits loophole that allows Romney to pay less than 15% is, in fact, one of the things Gingrich championed when he was Speaker. It's not Mitt's fault Newt gets his pay through salaries vice interest from investments.
Of course, everyone in the White House can just sit back, smile and watch this train wreck happen.
Ron Paul will win in Virginia
Ron Paul will win in Virginia.
DR Paul will get his voters plus everyone that does not want Romney.
Also,any one that wants to send a message on open elections in Virginia
will vote for Ron Paul as a protest.
The VA primary will be minimized
As a result of regulations, rules, etc., the Virginia primary is now of minimal importance as the votes from it will be guaranteed to Romney, assuming Santorum has dropped out by then. Virginia will hold their Republican primary but no one will show up.
Ulterior Motive with Virginia's Archaic Voting
The fact that no other candidate, other than Ron Paul and Romney qualified for Virginia's archaic voting process has Governor McDonnel ecstatic. He hopes for a Romney win with the additional hope that if Romney wins the nomination, he will be tapped for Vice President.
I guess the bill doesn't
I guess the bill doesn't help Santorum either who was still in the race last time I checked.
The rules don't change for this primary.
" But even if it wins passage, it will come too late to affect the March election. "
The rules don't change for this primary, which they shouldn't. Remember when this first came out, the articles said that several hadn't even bothered to submit any signatures. I remember remember which ones, but I know Bachmann was one who it said submitted no signatures. The others (except Romney and Paul) did not qualify, for one reason or another.
So, they can't even be 'write-ins' which would in effect be changing the rules. I'm surprised Perry and then those who jumped on his law suit would even attempt to change the rules/regs in the middle of the process. That in itself doesn't make them appear as presidential material.
Santorum's done
Santorum's done. Iowa was a fluke. He's got way too many skeletons for a guy as far out on the fringe as he is. I'm thinking he's stepping out of the race as soon as the votes are counted in Florida, however long that takes... :)