Sen. Jim DeMint will host a forum for presidential candidates September 5 in Columbia, S.C.

Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, and Herman Cain have all confirmed they will attend the event, which will feature questions from DeMint, influential Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King, and Princeton University professor Robert George. Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, and Rudy Giuliani were also invited to attend, although they have not yet confirmed. In order to receive an invitation, a candidate had to have a polling average of 5 percent or more nationally, which disqualified Rick Santorum and Jon Huntsman.

When being questioned by the panelists, each candidate will be alone on stage. “This forum will allow candidates to get past the 30 second sound bites and have an open dialogue with concerned citizens,” DeMint said in a statement.

American Principles Project is sponsoring the forum.