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Washington Hillary Rodham Clinton is reportedly planning to announce her 2016 presidential race in April, not in July.

The report in The Wall Street Journal, citing close associates of Mrs. Clinton, represents a shift in direction. In late January, Team Clinton was putting out word that she may wait until July. After all, the argument went, shes the prohibitive favorite to win the Democratic nomination, and the longer she stayed out as an announced candidate, the longer she could stave off the inevitable attacks. And raising money wouldnt be a problem, no matter when she announced.

Now that thinking is apparently changing. Fundraising is a concern after all, in a race where the two major-party candidates alone are expected to raise well over $1 billion each.

Jumping in sooner would help the Democratic field take shape, reassuring party leaders and donors that the former first lady, senator, and secretary of state is running, the Journal reports. A super PAC loyal to Mrs. Clinton has faced hesitation from donors who dont want to make big pledges until she is a candidate. Such concerns would evaporate after she announces.

Also at issue is her ability or willingness to respond to negative stories. News reports about the Clintons foundation taking donations from foreign governments have brought heaps of criticism onto the former first family, including from some prominent Democrats. So far, Clinton has not responded personally.

The Clinton Foundation acknowledged last week that it had failed to submit a donation from the Algerian government to the State Department for approval in accordance with the foundations ethics rules.

If Clinton wasnt planning to run for president, the donations would not create the appearance of foreign governments trying to curry favor with a secretary of State and possible future president. But as an all-but-certain candidate, Clinton faces just that problem.

Clintons unannounced status has also hardly spared her harsh criticism from the big field of likely Republican contenders. At the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) last week, one candidate after another went after Clinton.

Businesswoman Carly Fiorina, the only woman in the likely GOP field, has positioned herself as the anti-Hillary.

"She tweets about womens rights in this country and takes money from governments that deny women the most basic human rights, Ms. Fiorina said at CPAC. "She tweets about equal pay for women but wont answer basic questions about her own offices pay standards and neither will our president. Hillary likes hashtags. But she doesnt know what leadership means."

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Why Hillary Clinton may jump into presidential race soon