A special committee's decision on Florida's president primary date may be anti-climactic.

That's because Florida House Speaker Dean Cannon already has announced Jan. 31 is the likely date.

The panel meets Friday. If the Winter Park Republican's prediction is correct, it will set the stage for even earlier primaries and caucus in other states.

Officials in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina say they'll move their dates to stay ahead of Florida.

Those four states are the only ones allowed to go before March 6 under Republican and Democratic party rules.

Cannon says Florida's intent is to be fifth. To do that, though, it would have to go before Missouri's Feb. 7 primary.

States that violate party rules stand to lose half of their national convention delegates.

Copyright The Associated Press