Carly Fiorina, whose rocky tenure as chief executive of Hewlett Packard ended with her firing, is making serious preparations to run next year for the Republican nomination to challenge U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.).
Fiorina's candidacy would be her first foray into elective politics and would turn California's Senate contest into one of the most closely watched in 2010.
In a state that tilts strongly toward Democrats, Boxer would still be favored to win a fourth term, polls suggest.
But Fiorina, a top economic advisor to John McCain in the 2008 presidential race, would be the wealthiest Republican ever to face the Democratic incumbent, making her a more serious threat than previous rivals. Fiorina's personal fortune -- her HP severance alone exceeded $21 million after six years as chief executive -- ensures she could run a full-scale campaign.
If Fiorina won the GOP nomination, she would also be the first woman to challenge Boxer, a milestone for a state Republican Party that has rarely fielded female candidates for high office. Most voters in California are women, and Boxer's appeals to women have been a cornerstone of her 17-year tenure in the Senate. This year, Boxer was outspoken in urging President Obama to nominate a woman to the Supreme Court, as he ultimately did.
Adding another unusual dimension to the campaign: Fiorina, 54, was diagnosed with breast cancer in February. Since then, she has undergone chemotherapy; an aide described her prognosis now as "very good." Fiorina has kept a low public profile for months but will speak this weekend at a San Jose fundraising event of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a group that supports cancer survivors.
Laying ground for the probable campaign ahead, Fiorina has been calling key Republican Party players from her home in Los Altos Hills.
"She's seeking their advice, their counsel, their perspective and their potential support," said Deborah Bowker, Fiorina's chief of staff.
Fiorina, who declined to be interviewed, told reporters in March she was "seriously considering" a run for Boxer's seat.
If she runs, Fiorina will face Assemblyman Chuck DeVore of Irvine in the June GOP primary. DeVore's conservative profile matches the views of many state Republicans. But few have ever heard of him, and he has shown no ability to raise the millions of dollars needed to make himself better known.
