WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Republican National Committee's general chairman said Wednesday that he fears a "free for all" among states fighting for early presidential primary dates this year and believes his party may need to consider a single national primary day in the future.

Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Florida, indicated he is worried the jockeying for position could become a stampede.

"It is probably going to be a free for all," he said in during an interview on Capitol Hill, nearly one week after his own state legislature dismissed guidelines outlined by the RNC and Democratic National Committee and voted to move their presidential primary to Jan. 29, the same day as the South Carolina Democratic primary.

Both national parties have traditionally relied on reprimands and penalty threats to keep state organizations in line with the planned primary schedule. But the struggle for influence has become a political street fight that Martinez could not control in his own state.

Now, faced with an election calendar in limbo, Martinez believes his party may need to dramatically change strategy.

"For the future we may need to think about how we control the process better," he said, "and have maybe a national primary day."

Later this month, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist plans to sign the bill moving his state's primary date to Jan. 29.

Democrats in the Sunshine State, meanwhile, are scrambling for a way to hold their primary on a different date. Otherwise, the DNC will impose penalties, including a 50 percent cut in the number of national convention delegates decided by the state primary.

And the matter gets even more complicated as South Carolina Republicans are likely to move their Feb. 2 primary day to a date in mid-January because of Florida's decision to move to Jan. 29. South Carolina GOP Chairman Katon Dawson has vowed to make his state the first GOP primary in the South.

-- CNN Radio's Lisa Goddard