Former Hewlett-Packard Co. CEO Carly Fiorina has taken a step closer to challenging Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), according to media reports in California on Tuesday.Fiorina has created a campaign committee, Carly for California, which will enable her to begin raising money for a possible Senate bid. A spokeswoman for Fiorina told the Associated Press that she has no timetable for formally announcing her candidacy.State and national Republicans are high on the prospects of a Fiorina Senate bid, though a poll conducted recently for a liberal Web site found Boxer with a substantial lead over Fiorina and the top Republican in the Senate race so far, state Assemblyman Chuck DeVore.Boxer led Fiorina 52 percent to 31 percent in a hypothetical matchup, according to a Research 2000 poll of 600 likely voters conducted Aug. 9-12 for the Daily Kos. Boxer led DeVore by an almost identical 53 percent to 29 percent. The poll had a 4-point margin of error.In a hypothetical Republican primary, Fiorina led DeVore 29 percent to 17 percent, with a substantial number of GOP voters still undecided.Boxer, who is seeking her fourth term, finished June with more than $5.4 million in her campaign account. But Fiorina is personally wealthy and could quickly make up any cash deficit.