VA Attorney General Intervenes to put Newt & Perry on Ballot

January 1, 2012

Dear Friends and Fellow Virginians,

As many of you read yesterday in the news (link here for the story) I was considering supporting an effort to change the rules to allow the full range of presidential candidates on Virginia's ballot on March 6th.

I obviously feel very strongly that Virginia needs to change its ballot access requirements for our statewide elections. However, after working through different scenarios with Republican and Democratic leaders to attempt to make changes in time for the 2012 Presidential election, my concern grows that we cannot find a way to make such changes fair to the Romney and Paul campaigns that qualified even with Virginia's burdensome system. A further critical factor that I must consider is that changing the rules midstream is inconsistent with respecting and preserving the rule of law - something I am particularly sensitive to as Virginia's attorney general.

My intentions have never focused on which candidates would be benefited or harmed, rather I have focused on what is best for Virginia's citizens, as hundreds of thousands of Virginians who should have been able to make their choices among the full field of presidential primary contenders have had their number of choices reduced significantly.

My primary responsibility is to the people of Virginia, and how best to fulfill that responsibility in these particular circumstances has been a very difficult question for me. I believe consistency on the part of public officials is an important attribute. And I believe that Virginians are best served by an attorney general who consistently supports the rule of law. That leads to my conclusion that while I will vigorously support efforts to reduce the hurdles to ballot access in Virginia for all candidates, I will not support efforts to apply such changes to the 2012 Presidential election.

I do not change position on issues of public policy often or lightly. But when convinced that my position is wrong, I think it necessary to concede as much and adjust accordingly.

Sincerely,

Ken Cuccinelli II
Attorney General of Virginia

I am for ballot access fairness.

However, in this case, I fear that this intervention by party bosses can open the door to more meddling with the election process in this cycle. This especially applies to this cycle because of shifts in the Republican Party--shifts that Ron Paul represents.

Perhaps we all can be alert to potential Party rule changes and state law and procedure changes in our own states.

It's not like these guys are exactly going to steal any votes from US. If it dilutes the collectivist vote, it's all good.

I have to admit, I think Perry and company can actually win their case against VA and here is why. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+24.2-506 In this particular law, no where, and I mean no where does it say that a candidate for president has to get the required signatures to be on the ballot.

However, another law states that political parties do have the right to set the rules for nomination, but again, excludes the presidential candidates http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+24.2-508

I am not sure about federal law. So can Perry and company win? Or is it because the party decided what the rules were, that they can change them on the dime? Wouldn't it make more sense for the Perry campaign to sue the RPV and not the state?

As of now Ron will be in the number position on the ballot.

What does this mean with only Romney v. Paul?

It means Ron would get 75% or more of the popular vote in Virginia via Republicans, Independents and Democrats.

The Establishment wants to avoid this embarrassment. So they want other entrants to help avoid this, got it folks?

Virginia is a winner take all by congressional district and we have will Ron's delegates in place :^)

The American political system is beyond hope.

I happy to see the war monger vote get split up among as many candidates as possible.

The peace and liberty vote will only go to Ron Paul.