New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's decision to drop his party affiliation makes him ineligible to compete in the New Hampshire primary, which is open to independent voters but not independent candidates.

Bloomberg, a lifelong Democrat before switching to the GOP before his 2001 mayoral run, said his latest change in voter registration does not mean he is running for president. But if he does, he won't be able to get on the first-in-the-nation primary ballot without reregistering with a party.

Under state law, only candidates who are registered Republicans or Democrats can run in the primary. Party affiliation is not a voting requirement, however, and independents are expected to vote in large numbers. Voters unaffiliated with either party make up 44 percent of the state's registered voters, a greater percentage than either Republicans or Democrats.

Bloomberg's supporters have said that if he launches an independent bid, he will wait until after the early primary process has produced clear front-runners before deciding if his candidacy has a shot.

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) _ Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul will add party crashing to his campaign tactics this weekend.

The Texas congressman, who has struggled to top 1 percent in national polls, wasn't invited to a forum of presidential candidates Saturday in Des Moines. The gathering is sponsored by the Iowa Christian Alliance and the watchdog group Iowans for Tax Relief.

Instead of grumbling, Paul's campaign decided to hold its own party _ in the same hall as the forum. They're calling it a celebration of life and liberty.

Campaign spokesman Jesse Benton said it has been frustrating to be excluded, especially since Paul has consistently opposed abortion and is known nationally for his advocacy of lowering taxes.

"It's just a little head-scratching," Benton said.

Ed Failor Jr., executive vice president of Iowans for Tax Relief, said some candidates weren't invited in order to keep the event from stretching on too long.

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Associated Press writer Amy Lorentzen in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.