CNN is hosting the next Republican presidential debate on September 16th, yet Carly Fiorina may not be permitted to participate. The candidates with the most momentum after the Fox News debate are Donald Trump, Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina. She should be in the CNN debate.

The reason she will likely be excluded is that most of the polls CNN is using to determine a candidate’s ranking were conducted before the first debate. But at this stage, those polls are irrelevant.

I can think of many reasons why CNN would not want an articulate, conservative woman on stage during prime time. But I have no idea why the Republican National Committee is going along with this.

I strongly recommend the RNC step in and address this situation.

Gary L. Bauer served in President Ronald Reagan’s administration for eight years, as Under Secretary of Education and as President Reagan’s Chief Domestic Policy Advisor.