WASHINGTON — A broad field of GOP candidates is ramping up preparations for presidential runs in the wake of early maneuvering by establishment favorites Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney, kicking off the race for the 2016 Republican nomination at a breakneck speed.

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who is making a swing through New Hampshire on Wednesday, has tapped a campaign manager for his expected bid, while New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is quietly mobilizing the group of wealthy donors who would finance his effort.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, left, Sen. Marco Rubio, bottom right, and Mitt Romney likely won’t spend much time together in 2015 as the Republican presidential primary heats up. Romney’s surprise announcement that he is seriously considering a third run for the White House has forced other would-be candidates to make moves. 2012 Washington Post file photo/Melina Mara

Other possible contenders – such as former senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and former New York governor George Pataki – are holding meetings with party activists and donors, emphasizing their interest in running.

“Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney both threw a very interesting wrench in the mix,” said GOP strategist Saul Anuzis, former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party. “I don’t think anybody expected them to come out so early or to come out so forcefully. If everybody stays in, it’s truly a wide-open ballgame.”

A RUSH BEHIND THE SCENES

Christie and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker sought to use separate State of the State addresses Tuesday to lay out rationales for their anticipated GOP bids, underscoring how 2016 considerations are now driving state and national politics on the right.

While there is not a single declared candidate, the rush of behind-the-scenes activity spotlights the crowded and costly nature of the coming intraparty fight. With as many as two dozen contenders, the race is shaping up to be one of the largest and most competitive in modern presidential politics.

“I think everyone is looking at the race right now,” Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said Tuesday on Fox News. He included himself in that group, and he will travel to Iowa later this month to address a conservative gathering.

The rapid developments resemble the rush in early 2007, when candidates on both sides were quick to position themselves for White House runs.

This time, however, there is a marked lack of jockeying on the Democratic side, which has largely coalesced around an expected campaign by former secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The initial GOP campaign, set in motion by Bush’s declaration last month that he was actively exploring a campaign, has been roiled by Romney’s sudden, intense interest in a third White House bid.

The former Massachusetts governor has spent recent days reaching out to donors, former aides and party leaders, convincing many who have spoken with him that he has made up his mind.

“He will absolutely do it,” said a person close to Romney who requested anonymity to discuss private conversations. “It’s a matter of when.”

MEDIA PRESSURE OFF BUSH

Bush and his advisers and donors have watched Romney’s moves with some incredulity, according to people familiar with their thinking. Romney’s aggressive posture has also offered them a bit of relief, taking some of the political heat and press attention away from Bush, whose team is intently focused on fundraising.

In the coming weeks, Bush plans an ambitious rollout of an expanded political and financial team, aimed at highlighting how swiftly he has amassed support within the party, especially among leading donors.

Christie, whose advisers were startled by Bush’s entry last month, is moving to assemble his own finance operation.

Dallas investor Ray Washburne, who declined to comment for this article, has signed on to serve as finance chairman for the expected campaign, according to people familiar with his plans. Christie is also preparing to set up a leadership PAC as early as this month, the New York Times reported Tuesday.

Christie is not expected to make a public announcement until after attending the inauguration of a crop of new GOP governors he helped elect as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, including Larry Hogan of Maryland, who is being sworn in on Jan. 21.

But he used his State of the State address Tuesday to lay the themes of a national run, calling the United States a “nation beset by anxiety,” a place where it seems that “leaders in Washington … stoke division for their own political gain.”

Paul, meanwhile, is organizing his own political team.

On Tuesday, he tapped consultant Chip Englander, 33, who recently led Republican Bruce Rauner’s successful run for Illinois governor, to serve as his campaign manager for his likely bid. Doug Stafford, Paul’s longtime confidant, will remain as his chief political adviser.

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