Virginia AG to Intervene in GOP Primary Ballot Controversy

After learning that his candidate's name would be omitted from the Virginia primary ballot, the campaign director for former Speaker of the House and Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich compared the "unexpected setback" to Pearl Harbor.

Not to worry, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to the rescue!

Fox News reports that the Republican AG is intervening in his state's presidential primary dispute, and plans to file emergency legislation to address the inability five Republican presidential candidates have in getting their name on the ballot.

"The failure of other candidates to qualify led to complaints that the 10,000-signature requirement is too stringent.

Cuccinelli, who is a Republican, shared the concerns and plans to take them to the legislature while the candidates work through the courts.

'Recent events have underscored that our system is deficient,' he said in a statement Saturday. 'Virginia owes her citizens a better process. We can do it in time for the March primary if we resolve to do so quickly.'

Cuccinelli's proposal is expected to state that if the Virginia Board of Elections certifies that a candidate is receiving federal matching funds, or has qualified to receive them, that candidate will upon request be automatically added to the ballot."

The Virginian-Pilot reports that according to the state constitution, emergency legislation must gather a supermajority of four-fifths votes from the state House and the Senate, as well as Governor Bob McDonnell’s signature to pass.

Under the current system, only Mitt Romney and Ron Paul have qualified for the primary. Fox reports that Two former Democratic attorneys general are backing the move, along with a former Democratic state party chairman and a former Republican state party chairman.

A spokesman for Gov. McDonnell told Fox that the governor is"open to reviewing how Virginia's primary system can be improved to provide voters with more choices."

Still, McDonnell's spokesman Tucker Martin reiterated "Virginia's laws regarding ballot access are well known and have been in place for many years.

"All candidates seeking to be listed on the Virginia primary ballot in a statewide race have known the requirements well in advance."

The state's 49 delegates will be up for grabs on "Super Tuesday," March 6, 2012.