When Fox News holds its Republican debate there will, as things now stand, be one candidate, who New Hampshirites have come to know, missing from the stage.

Texas Congressman Ron Paul has not been invited to participate.

Fox sent out only five invitations to the Sunday night event that will air less than two days before polling stations open in the Granite State Tuesday morning.

Fred Thompson, who is polling several points behind Paul, received an invite to the pre-primary debate.

The Fox event is not the only one to exclude several presidential candidates just before the voters line up behind one candidate or another. WMUR-ABC News is broadcasting a debate on Saturday night, and even that event is expected to exclude some presidential hopefuls.

News of the exclusion of some candidates has spread fast and outraged leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties in New Hampshire.

When word broke, just before New Year's, Chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party Fergus Cullen issued a statement expressing the parties concern and frustration with debate organizers decision to exclude certain candidates.

"I think this is totally outrageous. Cutting out candidates now, when you think you know who will make the playoffs, is like ending the football season a month early," said Cullen.

While there are claims that the exclusions in some cases were made using certain criteria, Cullen and others involved with New Hampshire politics have said it has been a long-standing tradition in New Hampshire, being host to the first in the nation primary, to include all candidates that are legitimate and recognized.

"Obviously we wish we were included. We are polling above Fred Thompson, we've raised more money than most candidates, yet we are not invited," said Communication Director for the Ron Paul campaign in New Hampshire Kate Rick, expressing the campaign's and her candidates utter confusion over the whole matter.

Cullen confirmed that the New Hampshire Republican Party has been in contact with Fox representatives, trying to work on including all the candidates in the pre-primary debate on Sunday.

Despite all this, Rick explained that no reason for Paul's exclusion has been given. "Fox may not like the message, we really have no idea."

Instead, Rick said the Paul campaign is currently working on putting on a competing event to occur on Sunday night at the same time as the Fox debate. The idea being to continue to get his message out to the voters before the primary vote takes place.

"The level playing field requires that all serious candidates be given an equal opportunity to participate, no just a select few determined by the media prior to any votes being cast," wrote Cullen in the release.

Cullen cautioned that should these debates continue with an exclusion, it could set a very dangerous precedent for the future of the New Hampshire Primary.

Fellow Republican California Congressman Duncan Hunter also did not receive an invitation to the Republican Presidential Debate presented by Fox.

Representatives from Fox News did not return a call seeking comment.

Leading the Republican candidates in the latest New Hampshire poll figures from The Associated Press is former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney who is tied with Sen. John McCain with 29 percent each, followed by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani with 12 percent.

Trailing in the polls are candidates Mike Huckabee with 10 percent, Ron Paul with 7 percent, and Fred Thompson with 2.5 percent.