An e-mail from Newt Gingrich 360, a grassroots website unaffiliated with the Gingrich campaign “for Newt Gingrich Supporters and Volunteers,” reveals a push for Gingrich supporters in Virginia to support Ron Paul in the state’s primary on March 6.
Rick Santorum and Gingrich were unable to make it on the Virginia ballot in December. Because Virginia will be allocating its delegates proportionally, Gingrich supporters plan to give Congressman Paul as many votes as possible in order to stop Mitt Romney from running away with the 46 bound delegates.
Write-ins will not be allowed on the Virginia ballot.
Gingrich’s grassroots supporters seem to be taking a long view of the primary process. Gingrich has stated that he plans on going all the way to convention.
Virginia is a hybrid primary. Of the 46 delegates up for grabs, 33 are proportioned by the states 11 Congressional districts. Whoever wins each congressional district wins all three delegates from that district. Another 13 at-large delegates will be allocated proportionally based upon the statewide vote. Any candidate under 15% of the vote will receive no delegates. The at -large delegates will be winner-take all if a candidate receives a majority (50.001%) of the state-wide vote. Only 3 of Virginia’s delegates are unbound and will not be allocated to any candidate.
The Gingrich campaign has not stated this as an official campaign strategy, nor has it responded to a request for comment.
