Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry fail to qualify for Va. primary ballot

WASHINGTON (KABC) -- Republican presidential candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry failed to get their names on the Virginia primary ballot.

Gingrich announced a plan to launch a write-in campaign for the state's GOP Super Tuesday primary in Virginia after state party officials said Gingrich had failed to submit the required 10,000 signatures. But write-ins are not allowed in the Virginia primaries.

Failing to get on the ballot in Virginia, where Gingrich lives, underscores the difficulty first-time national candidates have in preparing for the long haul of a presidential campaign.

The state party said early Saturday that Perry had also failed to submit the required signatures to appear on the March 6 ballot.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney will appear on the Virginia ballot along with Texas Rep. Ron Paul.

Ironically, Gingrich had a slight lead over Romney in a Quinnipiac poll of Virginia Republicans released earlier in the week.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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