According to this story, the New Hampshire Republican Party has withdrawn its sponsorship of the January 6 presidential debate in that state. The co-sponsor is Fox News. Five presidential candidates were invited into that debate: Giuliani, Huckabee, McCain, Romney, and Thompson. Since Ron Paul polled more than twice as many votes in Iowa as Giuliani, the exclusion of Ron Paul seems irrational. Fox News has been inundated with complaints. The Fox News person in charge is Terri Everett, phone 212-852-7070. UPDATE: Here is the Republican Party’s statement, posted on its own website.

Thanks to Tony Roza for the news about the Republican Party’s decision to withdraw its sponsorship.

Candidates need 1,000 signatures to get their own names on Ohio presidential primaries. Also, they need separate petitions for their candidates for Delegates. The Delegate petitions need 50 signatures within any particular U.S. House district.

Only the Democratic and Republican Parties are currently ballot-qualified in Ohio. Republican presidential candidates who turned in the 1,000-signature petition are: Giuliani, Huckabee, McCain, Paul, Romney, and Thompson. Democrats who turned in the 1,000-signature petition are: Biden, Clinton, Edwards, Kucinich, Obama, and Richardson. This list is not necessarily final. Also, Ohio checks petitions, so just because a candidate submitted a petition is no guarantee that he or she will qualify. Furthermore, not every candidate who submitted the 1,000-signature petition necessarily did U.S. House delegate petitions in each district.

Although Joe Biden withdrew on the evening of January 3, his campaign had already submitted his Ohio statewide petition, so he will probably be on the ballot unless he withdraws. Chris Dodd did not submit a petition; he also withdrew on the evening of January 3.

On January 3, the New Jersey Senate passed A4225 by a vote of 22-13. It is the National Popular Vote Plan. The bill now goes to the Governor, who is expected to sign it.