The Republican Party of Virginia released a long, defensive statement Wednesday, saying it had warned presidential campaigns repeatedly for months to submit more than 15,000 signatures to state election officials if they want to be on the state’s March 6 ballot.

In the days since Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry were disqualified from the ballot, the state party has been accused of playing favorites and adhering to a strict interpretation of the Virginia election rulebook. But party leaders punched back Wednesday, insisting that the campaigns had ample time to collect the requisite 10,000 signatures.