The Rules Committee of the Republican National Committee has adopted a plan that would preserve New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary status.

By a vote of 28 to 12, the committee passed the "Ohio plan" that would allow New Hampshire to be the first primary state and specifies that South Carolina follow New Hampshire.

"This is an important first step in the process of preserving our first in the nation primary. There is broad consensus that our Republican nominating process has worked well, and the way John McCain earned our nomination is prima facia evidence of that," Fergus Cullen, Chairman of New Hampshire Republicans, said in a statement.

The plan could be changed at the RNC Conventional in September.

State Rep. Jim Splaine (D-Portsmouth) said he thought the Democratic Party should establish similar rules.

"It would be good if the Democratic National Committee does something similar, although that decision might not come for another year or two. Having states like Michigan and Florida continually challenging New Hampshire could be head off by bringing some sanity to the process," Splaine said.

Splaine also pointed out that under New Hampshire law the Secretary of State must pick a date that is "seven days or more" before a "similar election."