Perry challenges Va. ballot requirements

RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry filed a federal challenge to Virginia's ballot access rules after failing to qualify for the state GOP party primary.

Members of the Perry campaign said the legal action taken Tuesday was in response to the Texas governor not collecting the minimum 10,000 signatures needed to be included on the ballot of the March 6 Virginia Republican primary, The Hill reported.

Perry's campaign said a suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, challenges the "constitutional validity of the Virginia statute [that] regulates access to the ballot by primary candidates."

"Virginia ballot access rules are among the most onerous and are particularly problematic in a multi-candidate election," campaign communications chief Ray Sullivan said. "We believe that the Virginia provisions unconstitutionally restrict the rights of candidates and voters by severely restricting access to the ballot, and we hope to have those provisions overturned or modified to provide greater ballot access to Virginia voters and the candidates seeking to earn their support."

Only former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas were able to fulfill requirements and get on the ballot for the "Super Tuesday" primary.

Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania said Virginia's laws favored the richest presidential candidates while former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's campaign called the state's system "failed." Gingrich has lived in Virginia for 12 years.