The movement to draft CNBC host Larry Kudlow to run against Sen. Charles Schumer (D) is charging full-speed ahead.

The Draft Kudlow Committee, which is gathering signatures to encourage the conservative economist to run, added former New York Conservative Party State Chairman and co-founder Serphin Maltese to its ranks Monday. Maltese joined Buffalo-based public relations consultant Michael Caputo and Dr. David Tukey, a former McCain/Palin deputy regional campaign manager based in New York City.

And John Lakian, the group’s new finance chairman, told the New York Daily News on Friday that Kudlow is “80 or 90 percent” likely to take on the state’s senior Senator.

Lakian also said that there’s no rush for Kudlow to declare his intentions, saying he could wait as late as April to get into the race.

Kudlow has not ruled out a run, but he already passed on what at the time would have seemed to be a far better opportunity to run against Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.).

A recent Marist poll showed Schumer’s approval rating sliding below 50 percent among registered voters, but he remains a powerful presence in New York political circles, benefits from the state’s strong Democratic lean, and had $19.4 million in his campaign account to start the new year.

The same Marist poll also found that Schumer would trounce Kudlow in a hypothetical matchup — 67 percent to 25 percent.