HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The newly resigned top aide to Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf says she'll give "serious consideration" to running for U.S. Senate in 2016 and will make an announcement about her future soon.

Katie McGinty acknowledged the potential for her candidacy during a Thursday news conference with Wolf to announce her successor as his chief of staff.

A Democratic official in Washington told The Associated Press on Wednesday that McGinty is preparing to run for Senate. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because McGinty hadn't made the announcement herself.

McGinty had previously said through a political spokesman that she was considering a run.

National Democrats are unhappy with the prospect of former U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak seeking a rematch against incumbent Republican Pat Toomey and had been searching for an alternative.