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Judge Denies Perry's Requests in Virginia Primary Ballot

Gov. Perry's request to add his name or stop the Virginia primary ballots from being printed was denied today by a federal judge. Photo by Ben Philpott/KUT News.

Governor Rick Perry lost a bid to get his named added to the Virginia Republican presidential primary ballot. He needed 10,000  signatures, with at least 400 signatures from the state's 11 congressional districts to qualify.

Governor Perry filed an emergency motion Wednesday in the U.S. District Court in Richmond for an injunction to get his name on the ballot or to stop the state from printing them. He argued the signature requirements were burdensome and unconstitutional.

A federal judge denied his request today and scheduled a hearing on the case for January 13. But Virginia state law requires the primary ballot to be printed by January 9. The judge said if the court rules in favor of Gov. Perry, Virginia may have to print the ballots twice.

Mitt Romney and Ron Paul are the two candidates that are certified for the March 6 primary ballot in Virginia.