TRENTON – Anna Little, the once and possibly future Tea Party darling in New Jersey, is moving one giant step closer to declaring her candidacy to seek the Republican nomination to run against Democratic incumbent Bob Menendez for his U.S. Senate seat next year.

“We're filing with the Federal Election Commission tomorrow to open a campaign account,” Little told Politicker in an interview today at the State House, where she was attending the education choice rally and then networking through the halls on a big legislative committee day.

“If I weren't serious about running (for Senate), we wouldn't be doing this,” Little added when pressed about her intentions.

Little made her name by beating the Republican establishment choice, Diane Gooch, in last year's primaries by just 84 votes; earning Little the Republican banner to use in her unsuccessful run against Rep. Frank Pallone for his Sixth District congressional seat.

Political analysts debate who a Little candidacy would hurt most – fellow Monmouth County resident Sen. Joe Kyrillos, R-Middletown, a close advisor to Gov. Christie, or Sen. Mike Doherty, the conservative firebrand from Washington Twp., Warren County, in the northwest part of the state.  Neither man has yet declared but both are rumored to be ready to jump into the race.

She dismisses that talk and says she's confident in herself as the winner if she goes that route.

And every indication is that she will.

“We are working on putting together a grass roots coalition as well as Republican Party members and we'll begin raising money,” Little tells Politicker. “It's the people's fight and so I would like to hear from them and they're the ones who need to decide. And they need to know that I'm interested so that they know I'm one of the people they can choose.”

Little, who last year used the catchy Anna's Army moniker for her campaign volunteers, may or may not present a threat to a Menendez candidacy with access to a campaign war chest at some $10 million and counting. But it's clear she could rock the Republican boat in a big way. And at this point it would seem Kyrillos, with his kitchen cabinet status with a governor he helped put in office – is the establishment favorite.

It looks like that's not going to dissuade Little from taking a shot. She's still recalling her 54-46 loss to Pallone in a district she says the Democrat typically won by 40-point margins.

And she's still out there politicking, with an appearance at today's school choice rally and then making her rounds through the Statehouse with the same body-man who accompanied her through last year's campaign, Larry Cirignano, and one Anna's Army foot soldier.

But she's still wearing her Tea Party stripes on her sleeve – today's in the form of a small bright red-white-and-blue tea pot lapel pin.

The question, of course, is whether she's steeped enough in her political skills to go for an even bigger prize this time out and to win it.

No doubt she believes so, and the first official sign comes with tomorrow's FEC filing.