Four candidates qualified for the GOP primary ballot for this year’s U.S. Senate race in Virginia, state Republican Party officials announced Friday.
Former Virginia Gov. George Allen, tea party activist Jamie Radtke, Delegate Robert G. Marshall and Chesapeake Bishop E.W. Jackson will vie for the nomination in a June 12 primary.
The candidates were required to collect 10,000 valid signatures from registered voters and at least 400 from each of the state’s 11 congressional districts in order to qualify.
Hampton Roads lawyer David McCormick collected about 11,700 signatures but opted not to submit them to the State Board of Elections on Thursday because his campaign felt he did not have enough valid ones to meet the threshold of 10,000.
The winner of the primary will square off against former Gov. Tim Kaine, who was certified Friday as the Democratic nominee after submitting more than 30,000 signatures on Monday.
The state GOP has set dates for three primary debates in the coming months. The first will be held in Roanoke on April 28th, the second in Hampton Roads on May 11th, and the third in Northern Virginia on May 25th.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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