IRVING, Texas—Republican state Sen. Florence Shapiro said Tuesday that her thoughts of succeeding Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison didn’t begin with talks between the two Texas lawmakers.

Shapiro became among the first to formally stake an interest in Hutchison’s seat Tuesday by announcing the formation of an exploratory committee to raise money for a possible run.

Hutchison, a Republican who might run for Texas governor in 2010, has said she will leave the U.S. Senate at the end of her current term or sooner. Her term runs through 2012.

Shapiro said she told Hutchison about forming a committee, but that they did not talk about Shapiro pursuing the seat if Hutchison left.

Shapiro said she had no insight if Hutchison was going to leave office early. If a U.S. senator resigns, the Texas governor appoints a replacement until an election is held.

Shapiro said she has also told Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst about her decision. Perry’s response was “good luck,” she said.

She said she did not have a fundraising goal but expected it to be a competitive race.

Shapiro, who listed 14 state senators among her supporters, said she began thinking about a run for Congress “quietly” two years ago. She made her announcement flanked by family, North Texas leaders and Roger Staubach, a Hall of Fame quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys and now a prominent Texas businessman.