Advisers to Joe Biden are attempting to enlist staffers for a potential 2016 presidential campaign – the latest sign the vice president is inching closer to entering the race. A Democratic operative tells U.S. News he was approached this week about working for Biden if he pulled the trigger on a run. The operative also says Biden has already secured a fundraising consulting firm in order to quickly ramp up financing following a possible announcement.

Biden said as recently as last week that he and his family are "not quite there yet" regarding his joining the Democratic primary.

But fresh general election polling out this week may tempt him even further.

A slate of surveys from Quinnipiac University showed the vice president defeating Donald Trump, Jeb Bush and Carly Fiorina in hypothetical general elections. He tied Ben Carson.

In national polling of the Democratic primary, Biden trails front-running Hillary Clinton as well as Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, but his numbers have swelled in recent weeks following speculation he might still make a late entry into the race.

Biden loyalists in the early nominating states have also been asked to build a list of potential staffers to turn to if a campaign were to be triggered.

Seeking out staff is always a priority for any candidacy, but will be especially crucial in Biden's case since it's so late in the cycle.

"I've never in my career been approached pre-announcement if the person wasn't running," says the Democratic operative approached by a Biden confidante.

