Ron Paul (WND photo)

Following a week of controversy over Fox News' decision to exclude Rep. Ron Paul from a nationally televised forum of GOP candidates two days before the New Hampshire primary, the state Republican Party announced today "with regret" it had withdrawn its co-sponsorship of the event.

In a press release, New Hampshire Republican Party chairman Fergus Cullen said, "We believe all recognized major candidates should have an equal opportunity to participate in pre-primary debates and forums. This principle applies to tonight's debates on ABC as well as Sunday's planned forum on FOX.

"The New Hampshire Republican Party believes Congressmen Ron Paul and Duncan Hunter should be included in the FOX forum on Sunday evening. Our mutual efforts to resolve this difference have failed.

"While we understand that FOX News continues to move forward it is with regret, the New Hampshire Republican Party hereby withdraws as a partner in this forum."

As WND reported, Paul responded earlier to the snub by saying Fox News is "scared of me."

They "don't want my message to get out, but it will," he told the Boston Globe's Primary Source blog. "They are propagandists for this war, and I challenge them on the notion that they are conservative."

(Story continues below)

Earlier this week, Cullen said the party was negotiating with Fox News to have as many candidates as possible participate in the event.

"Limiting the number of candidates who are invited to participate in debates is not consistent with the tradition of the first in the nation primary. The level playing field requires that all candidates be given an equal opportunity to participate – not just a select few determined by the media prior to any votes being cast."

The effort to include candidates beyond those already picked by FOX – Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson – failed, however.

Calling Fox's refusal to consider including his candidate "unfair," Ron Paul 2008 spokesman Jesse Benton said, "The New Hampshire Republican Party did the right thing by pulling its sponsorship."

A one-sentence statement issued by David Rhodes, Fox's vice president of news, said, "We look forward to presenting a substantive forum which will serve as the first program of its kind this election season."

The Fox forum, to be broadcast from St. Anselm College in Goffstown, N.H., is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 6, at 8 p.m. ET. Paul will be a participant in tonight's ABC's debate at 7 p.m.

Special offers:

'Finest video ever produced' about USA

"The Declaration of Independence"

New edition of 100-year-old book proves America's Christian heritage

"Backfired: A Nation Born for Religious Tolerance no Longer Tolerates Religion"

---

Previous stories:

Ron Paul not invited to Fox News forum

Ron Paul: $20 million shows 'starvation' for his message

Thompson, Paul, Keyes target immigration

Ron Paul campaign keeps white supremacist money

Ron Paul fires back at Newsweek 'hit' piece

Paul says merger plans must be derailed

Ron Paul warns war with Iran 'inevitable'

Ron Paul announces White House bid

---

Related commentary:

Earmark this, Ron Paul!

Ron Paul's electability