UPDATE: More Republican Hopefuls Confirmed for DeMint Forum

Former Speaker of the U.S. House Newt Gingrich joins Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachman, businessman Herman Cain, Texas Rep. Ron Paul and Texas Gov. Rick Perry in attending a Labor Day forum at 3 p.m. Sept. 5 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

The forum, which is sponsored by the American Principles Project, is an invitation-only ticketed event, but S.C. ETV will broadcast the event statewide, according to a released issued by the Palmetto Freedom Forum. 

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney were also invited to attend. They have until 5 p.m. Wednesday to RSVP. No confirmations either way have been received from these camps, according to the American Principles Project.

The most-noticeable absense is former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, whose polling numbers were not strong enough to earn an invite.

The American Principles Project Palmetto Freedom Forum will allow invited candidates to engage in discussion of their stances on critical issues facing the country. 

Candidates will be on the stage one-at-a-time and will participate in a question and answer session with three panelists: U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC), U.S. Representative Steve King (R-IA), and Robert P. George, founder of the American Principles Project and McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University. 

David Stanton, a veteran of S.C. presidential events and former local news anchor, will be the moderator.

DeMint said in the release the forum would allow “candidates to get past the 30 second sound bites and have an open dialogue with concerned citizens.” 

All candidates were at or above the 5 percent threshold in the realclearpolitics.com 2012 Republican Presidential Nomination RCP average Monday, and therefore all qualified for invitations.