State Senate Vice President Donna Mercado Kim is thinking about a U.S. Senate campaign.

Kim (D, Kalihi Valley-Halawa) said she plans to form an exploratory committee to raise money to finance a poll.

“I’ll see what my options are at that point,” she said.

Kim is a former chairwoman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and is known for her investigations of state departments and agencies. She has been in the Senate for a decade after serving on the Honolulu City Council and in the state House.

Under federal election law, potential candidates are allowed to “test the waters” without registering as a candidate. The potential candidates can raise money for polling or travel around the state to see if there is sufficient support for a campaign.

U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka has said he will not seek re-election in 2012.