Gingrich, Perry Fail to Qualify for Virginia Primary

It's a two-way race for Virginia's 50 delegates on March 6.

Early on Saturday, Newt Gingrich became the latest candidate to not qualify for the ballot, the Republican Party of Virginia announced. On Friday evening, Texas Gov. Rick Perry was also disqualified by the state Republican party.

Gingrich and Perry failed to collect the requisite 10,000 signatures required to appear on the ballot, according to the state's Republican Party.

"We will closely review the facts and law to determine whether an appeal or challenge is warranted," Perry Communications Director Ray Sullivan said in a statement.

The disqualification means that Gingirch, who resides in McLean, Va., will not even be able to vote for himself.

A write-in campaign is what Gingrich is planning.

"We will work with the Republican Party of Virginia to pursue an aggressive write-in campaign to make sure that all the voters of Virginia are able to vote for the candidate of their choice," Gingrich Campaign Director Michael Krull said in a statement.

However, it is not possible to write-in candidates in Virginia presidential primaries. A sample ballot, as well as results from the state's 2008 presidential primary lack any write-ins.

The University of Virginia's Larry Sabato tweeted, "I'm well familiar w/VA primary ballots, D & R. There is NO write-in possible on primary ballots."

Three other GOP hopefuls, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, and Jon Huntsman, failed to make the state's 5 p.m. Thursday filing deadline.

Mitt Romney and Ron Paul will be the only two candidates to appear on the ballot, as both were certified.