WASHINGTON – GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney met privately Monday in Dallas with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, part of an unannounced two-day Texas trip to line up donors and support from key leaders such as the state's senior senator.

The closed-door meeting with Ms. Hutchison was simply intended to discuss the Romney campaign and possibly line up her support, said a spokesman for the former Massachusetts governor.

Mitt Romney and Kay Bailey Hutchison

Aides to Ms. Hutchison – who holds the record for most votes collected by any statewide candidate and has been mentioned as a potential running mate in 2008 – said she plans no endorsements for now.

"We're talking to as many people as possible about his campaign, his ideas and how they can support him, if they could support him," said Romney spokesman Kevin Madden. "We're building our organization and financial team in Texas. He's meeting with folks that are ideally going to play a role in that effort."

He declined to identify anyone else Mr. Romney met with in Dallas on Monday. Meetings planned for today in Houston are also private.

The Romney campaign has collected a dozen congressional endorsements, including one from Ms. Hutchison's colleague Jim DeMint, a Republican senator from South Carolina.

Mr. Madden said the Hutchison meeting wasn't an interview for a possible vice presidential slot.

"We haven't even formally announced" a presidential run yet, he said.

Sen. John McCain, another potential Republican contender in Dallas on Monday for meetings, also complimented Ms. Hutchison.

"There's no doubt that Kay has a great potential for future national leadership. It's not clear what, but she's already a leader of our party," the Arizona senator said. "And she's certainly one that people would consider for a variety of roles."

Staff writer Wayne Slater contributed to this report.