Missing From Virginia Ballot: Perry, Gingrich

Virginia Republicans will see two fewer options on their March 6 primary ballot: Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich's names will be absent, because both men failed to get the 10,000 necessary signatures. The Republican Party of Virginia noted Perry's status yesterday, and made a second announcement early this morning. "After verification, RPV has determined that Newt Gingrich did not submit required 10K signatures and has not qualified for the VA primary," it tweeted.

The RPV also announced that Mitt Romney and Ron Paul have indeed qualified; it's unclear if Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, or Jon Huntsman submitted petitions to the state board. The AP notes that Gingrich seemingly made an 11th-hour push in the state, rushing there from New Hampshire on Wednesday in an effort to get the needed signatures by the 5pm Thursday deadline. On Wednesday, however, Gingrich claimed he had enough signatures, and was traveling to the state in order to deliver them personally. Virginia's rules stipulate that candidates get 400 signatures from each of the state's 11 congressional districts. (More Virginia stories.)