HARRISBURG -- A state senator plans to convene a joint hearing in three weeks on the idea of moving up Pennsylvania's 2008 presidential primary election to early February to have more impact on the national contest.

"I'm open to hearing more about it," Sen. Jake Corman said last week. "I think there's some logistical problems, but it would be good for our economy to have that campaign in Pennsylvania. If it can be done, we should try it."

Mr. Corman, policy chairman of the Senate Republicans, asked his Democratic Party counterpart, state Sen. Richard A. Kasunic, to make it a joint hearing. Kasunic aide Will Dando said that Mr. Kasunic agreed, and the hearing is slated for March 13.

If the primary is moved up from the present April 22 date, the most likely date would be Feb. 5, when other large states -- California, Michigan, Illinois and Florida -- are considering holding their 2008 primaries.

Mr. Corman said he plans to invite national committee members from both parties as well as representatives of the state's counties, which administer elections. One problem, he said, is that candidates would likely have to get signatures on nomination petitions in November.

"We'd like to investigate all the ins and outs. If you're going to get involved, really involved, in the primary, then you need to get involved in February, preferably in early February."

State Rep. Ron Buxton, D-Dauphin, introduced a bill to move the primary to March 4, but the bill has not had a hearing. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association opposes the idea because state law now requires school districts to adopt budgets before the primary. Mr. Buxton has proposed amending that law.

States have been moving up their primaries in an effort to play a greater role in the choice of national party nominees. Iowa and New Hampshire, which have traditionally held the earliest contests, have been joined by South Carolina and Nevada, which has scheduled Democratic caucuses on Jan. 19.

Pennsylvania, the nation's sixth-largest state, is usually a swing state in presidential campaigns but the state's Republican and Democratic voters have traditionally had little influence on who becomes the nominees of their parties.