BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - The Alabama Republican Party's presidential forum will be held in Birmingham's

Monday evening on the eve of the state's presidential preference primary. Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum have confirmed plans to attend. The party is awaiting a response from Mitt Romney and Ron Paul.

The free event will be open to the public and begin at 5:30 p.m. Doors open at 3:30 p.m., according to a GOP spokeswoman. Seating is limited to 2,500 people, and the address is 1817 3rd Avenue North, Birmingham.

The format will be a forum and not a debate, spokeswoman Shana Kluck said. "We think everybody is just debated-out," Kluck said.

Both Alabama and Mississippi hold GOP presidential primaries Tuesday. There are 90 convention delegates between them, and neither primary is a winner-take-all. "For the first time ever, the Alabama Republican primary will have a significant impact on who our nominee will be," state GOP Chairman Bill Armistead Monday afternoon. "By holding our primary on March 13, the same day Mississippi votes, the candidates are paying attention to the 'Deep South Super Tuesday' and we are excited to see all four campaigning across Alabama."