Earlier Primary for Michigan... Maybe.

The Boston Globe reports that Michigan is among the states that wants to move its Presidential primary to an earlier date. The aim of this is to reduce the impact of New Hampshire and increase their own influence.

In Michigan, meanwhile, Republicans are working with Democrats to push a plan that would give them the option of moving their presidential caucus up one week, from Feb. 9 to Feb. 2.

Though moving the caucus date would violate DNC rules, it could get signed into law during the Legislature's lame-duck session next month, said Michigan Republican Party chairman Saul Anuzis. "There is widespread agreement from both sides that we will do this. The question is just when we will get it done," Anuzis said.

Prior to the 2006 election, Mark Brewer also spent a lot of energy trying to move Michigan's 2008 primary date.

The article speculates that the date change would benefit Romney over some of the other possible Republican candidates.

An early vote in Michigan could boost the presidential bid of Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, a Republican whose father served as governor of Michigan. A Romney spokesman did not return a call seeking comment.

I'm not entirely sure if that is actually the case. Based on the only information that we have available to us, McCain appears to be the current frontrunner in Michigan. It is tough to say who would benefit on the Democratic side, too.

Regardless of the political implications, this issue ought to be about what is best for the democratic process in our country. Moving the primaries of states like Michigan and Florida up could allow a more representative sample of party members to choose their nominee, but they would also dramatically increase the costs of the early campaign period.

Personally, I am conflicted on the best way to reform our primary process. Holding the primary on a single election day would be the most representative, but would also increase the cost of running a campaign very dramatically. On the other hand, holding the first primary in one or two small states isn't at all representative of the general sentiment among party members.