Gilmore in jeopardy of missing next debate

Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore is in danger of missing out on next month’s Republican presidential debate if he cannot increase his support at the polls, according to a new statement released by the debate’s hosts.

{mosads}Former first lady Nancy Reagan sent out invitations to the 16 candidates that met the threshold of 1 percent of national polling. Gilmore was not included in that group. The release notes that any additional candidate that hits that minimum will be invited in the future.

“My husband was humbled and honored to be President of the United States. I heard him say on more than one occasion that he was only given temporary custody of the presidency, but I know from very personal experience that it was the role of his lifetime,” Nancy Reagan said in a statement.

“Debates are a crucial part of the election process, and I’m thrilled that so many qualified candidates have the opportunity to be heard at the Reagan Presidential Library.”

CNN and the Ronald Reagan Foundation and Library are co-hosting the Sept. 16 debate.

Next month’s debate will feature a similar format to last week’s Fox News debate, placing the top 10 candidates in a separate debate from the rest of the field. But since CNN and the Reagan Foundation will weigh polls through September 10, the slate for the main event won’t be announced until days before the debate.

That could subject CNN to the same criticism that Fox News faced for failing to provide the candidates an equal shake.