The bill, which won support in the state Senate last week, was approved in the House after Wyoming Republicans moved their primary date to Jan. 5, pushing Wyoming ahead of the pack.

“We all take great pride in Michigan, and this early date sends the message to presidential candidates of all parties that to get to the White House, you have to go through Michigan,” House Minority Leader Craig DeRoche, R-Novi, said in a press release.

Moving presidential primary dates has been a point of dissension for Democrats across the country. Florida was threatened by the Democratic National Committee with losing its delegates for moving the state’s primary date to Jan. 29.

“The Michigan Democratic Party applauds the Michigan House for significantly improving the defective Senate primary bill of last week,” said Mark Brewer, chairman for the Michigan Democratic Party, in a press release. “However, the Michigan Democratic Party has made no decision as to whether to participate in a primary.”

Michigan Democrats are still deciding whether to hold a caucus or a primary to determine a presidential candidate next year.

A caucus would mean people who have declared their party affiliation would be able to vote at their party’s county headquarters, Rep. Mark Meadows, D-East Lansing, said. Holding the caucus would mean the cost of having an election would be handled by the party.

“Most of the general public could care less when we hold the presidential primary,” Meadows said. “I voted against it. It’s putting the expense of the election on the general population, which is the wrong thing to do, especially while we are searching for ways to balance the budget.”

Statewide primaries require city, county and township clerks to open precincts and hire poll workers, which would cost about $10.5 million, Meadows said.

“I think there are a lot of ways to make Michigan prominent in a presidential election and this is about the least likely way of doing that to result in lasting benefits to people in the state of Michigan,” Meadows said.

However, the House and Senate approved bill is making its way to Granholm’s desk and most likely will be signed by the governor.

“The Governor supports an early primary and will sign the bill as soon as it arrives on her desk”, said Liz Boyd, spokeswoman for Granholm.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.