Gov. moves up date for Arizona primary

PHOENIX, Arizona (AP) -- Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano has moved up the date for the state's 2004 presidential primary, to February 3 from February 24.

Napolitano said the earlier date will give the state more national exposure by positioning its primary soon after the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary, and on the same date as South Carolina's primary.

The action follows a proposal by Republican legislative leaders to delete state funding for the primary to help erase a budget shortfall.

Napolitano, a Democrat, called that a partisan attempt to keep Democrats out of the national spotlight next year when President Bush will be a shoo-in for the GOP nomination.

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