ATTLEBORO - Area legislators have mixed feelings about moving the state's presidential primary vote ahead a month, scrapping it's traditional "Super Tuesday" vote in March to join as many as 30 other states in "Super Duper Tuesday."

Some lawmakers favor the change, saying it will give the state a louder voice in choosing the candidates for president. Others oppose the switch, alleging the motivation is aimed at hurting former Gov. Mitt Romney's bid for the Republican nomination.

"It doesn't pass the smell test with me," Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, said. "There are obviously political parties and candidates trying to benefit themselves."

Secretary of State, William Galvin's plan to move up the vote won Senate endorsement 33-5 on Friday. If passed in the House, it would push the 2008 presidential election up a month earlier than traditionally scheduled.

A move by supporters of Gov. Deval Patrick's casino plan to add a non-binding referendum on casino gambling in the state has been killed by the Legislature's leadership. Massachusetts now shares its March 4 primary with Rhode Island, Texas, and Ohio. The change to vote on Feb. 5 would put it in the same league as big states like New York, Michigan, Florida and South Carolina, which may be a threat to Romney getting support in his home state.

Romney supporters in the state, (including Brown) complain a poor showing by the former governor in his own state could hurt his nationwide standing. A poll, conducted by pollster Gerry Chervinsky for BostonNOW last month reported that less than 14 percent of Boston voters believed Romney would make a good president.

But Rep. Elizabeth Poirier, R- N. Attleboro said she doesn't agree the date change is being pushed to hurt Romney idea.

"I don't think it will hurt him, it might just help him because it gives the others less time to try to gain ground on what he's already accomplished," she said. "I think he's done his workhe's been leading in the polls in New Hampshire and Iowa."

Brown said he's received phone calls from almost every clerk in his district and virtually all opposed to it.

"They're concerned about a lot of the logistics because they were relying on Galvin's statements that he would absolutely not change the primary and now it seems that political pressure from some of the federal campaigns, he's changed his position."

MaryAnn Drain, Attleboro's city election administrator, said the city's election committee would have to make some changes but it's ready to jump into another election following the town votes.

"We're wrapping up local elections now and mentally prepared to have to go right into the presidential primary if they make the change," she said.

Rep. John Lepper, R-Attleboro, said that without moving the date ahead "Massachusetts might end up being simply an afterthought" since so many other states will vote on Feb. 5.

Sen. James Timilty, D-Walpole, agreed. "The race will pretty much be locked up by the time we go to the poles in March," he said. The legislation is expected to clear in the House and earn Gov. Patrick's signature sometime next week.

"I'm sure there is no government official in any office in Massachusetts that wants to see our state not have a voice in who will run for the president of the United States," Poirier said. "By waiting until March 5, we will have lost that opportunity."