Fiorina moves toward possible Senate run

SACRAMENTO, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Carly Fiorina, former chief executive of Hewlett Packard, said Tuesday she has moved toward a possible run for Barbara Boxer's U.S. Senate seat in California.

Fiorina filed papers enabling her to start raising funds for polling and a possible campaign, the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News reported Tuesday.

The newspaper noted she had strongly hinted she would challenge Boxer, a three-term Democrat, in 2010.

"I have received a great deal of encouragement to make a run for the Senate in 2010 from people across the political spectrum," Fiorina said in a news release. "Today's filing ... is a logical next step in the process of evaluating running for this office."

Californians, she said, "have serious concerns about job creation, economic growth and the role of government in solving problems that touch each of our lives."

Fiorina would face state Assemblyman Chuck Devore of Irvine, the only other Republican candidate thus far, in the GOP primary in June. Observers predict she would win, then face boxer in November 2010.

After Fiorina's announcement, Boxer's campaign criticized her record at HP, where she was fired after six often-tumultuous years.