Senator Marco Rubio seems to be inching closer to making a 2016 presidential bid. The Florida senator tells top advisors to prepare for a campaign, signing on a leading Republican fundraiser, and make plans for extensive travel to early voting states.

ABC News is reporting Senator Rubio has told staff to “proceed as if I am running for president.”

According to CNN, Rubio will need to raise at least $50 million or more to run in the Republic primaries. If the senator does decide to forge ahead with a 2016 presidential bid, Anna Rogers will serve as his finance director. Rogers is currently the finance director for American Crossroads, a Super PAC formed by Karl Rove.

Although political analysts have speculated that a Jeb Bush presidential bid will stop Rubio from making a run for the White House, the Florida senator told the Latin Post earlier this month that Bush seeking the presidency would not stop him from throwing his hat into the ring as well.

“As I’ve said, if Jeb Bush runs for president he’s going to be a very formidable candidate for multiple reasons — including the ability to raise money. But I’m confident that if I make the decision that the best place for me to serve our country and achieve the agenda of restoring the America Dream is to be president, I’m confident that I can raise enough money and put together an organization that will give me a chance to win.”

A new Zogby poll indicates among likely Republican voters, Rubio and Bush tie with 13 percent of the voters, while Mitt Romney is at the top of the heap, but not by much, at 16 percent of voters supporting the former Massachusetts governor and presidential contender.

Marco Rubio is expected to come to a final decision within the next couple of weeks, but as ABC News points out, his schedule over the next few weeks point toward a plan to go forward with a presidential run. The senator, 43, is expected to meet today and tomorrow with 300 supporters and donors in Miami to discuss his political future. He also plans to skip votes in the Senate next week in order to make fundraising stops in California, Texas, and Illinois. In promotion of his new book, American Dreams, Rubio also has a tour scheduled that will afford him the opportunity to make stops in early voting states like Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida, and Nevada.

[Image courtesy of Gage Skidmore]