One of the benefits of this extended primary season and the relative indecision in the Republican presidential field this year is that Alabama’s primary actually matters this year—our state’s choices next Tuesday will have an impact on this race. And since Alabama’s primary matters, it means we can get candidates to campaign here, and even agree to participate in candidate forums.

This year, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich have agreed to attend a presidential candidates forum hosted by the Alabama Republican Party on Monday, the night before Alabama’s March 13 primary.

“For the first time ever, the Alabama Republican Primary will have a significant impact on who our nominee will be,” Alabama Republican Party chairman Bill Armistead said in a press release.  “By holding our Primary on March 13th, 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.”

The forum — which is not a debate — will be held Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the Alabama Theatre. The event will be free, and seating will be allotted on a first come, first serve. Doors will open at 3:30 p.m.

Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts and the current front-runner for the Republican nomination, has not decided if he will participate in the forum, and Texas Congressman Ron Paul has not responded either.

For a schedule of other Republican presidential candidate events in Alabama, click here.

And a video from the Alabama Republican Party that explains how Alabama’s delegates are distributed: