Gingrich Campaign Compares Va. Ballot Disqualification to Pearl Harbor

Coming off the news that Newt Gingrich's name will not be on the Virginia primary ballot, Gingrich's campaign director compared the "unexpected setback" to Pearl Harbor.

"Newt and I agreed that the analogy is December 1941: We have experienced an unexpected set-back, but we will re-group and re-focus with increased determination, commitment and positive action," Michael Krull wrote on Gingrich's Facebook page Saturday.

The Virginia Republican Party announced Friday that the former House Speaker had failed to turn in the required 10,000 signatures to get his name on the state's GOP presidential primary ballot. Texas Gov. Rick Perry was disqualified as well for the same reason.

"Newt and I have talked three or four times today and he stated that this is not catastrophic -- we will continue to learn and grow. Remember that it was only a few months ago that pundits and the press declared us dead after the paid consultants left," Krull said.

He said the campaign is exploring "alternate methods" to campaign in Virginia and said to "stay tuned" for details. Though Gingrich had vowed to mount a heavy write-in campaign, Virginia state code does not not allow write-in candidates in its primaries.

The Gingrich campaign had blasted Virginia's primary process Saturday, calling it a "failed system." Krull echoed those sentiments in his post, calling the state's requirements "cumbersome."

"Throughout the next months there will be ups and downs; there will be successes and failures; there will be easy victories and difficult days -- but in the end we will stand victorious," he vowed.

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman did not turn in signatures and therefore all failed to qualify. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Rep. Ron Paul are the only GOP presidential candidates who will appear on the state's ballot.