Rubio's slow start in Iowa, New Hampshire puzzles GOP

MIAMI (AP) — Republican presidential hopeful Marco Rubio's slow-go campaign strategy is puzzling party operatives in Iowa and New Hampshire, states where voters are used to candidates showering them with attention early and often.

While some GOP hopefuls are already highlighting their progress toward visiting all of Iowa's 99 counties, Rubio's return to the state this week marks his first stop in the caucus battleground in a month.

Fergus Cullen, a former New Hampshire GOP chairman who has yet to back a candidate, said that while Rubio benefits from "goodwill and interest," his infrequent appearances in the state have cost him early endorsements.

Even after a burst of momentum following his campaign launch and a strong performance in the first GOP debate, Rubio's team has said it doesn't expect the young senator to surge until fall or even winter, when voters start paying more attention to the White House race.

Early polling shows Rubio has lost ground this summer while billionaire businessman-turned-presidential candidate Donald Trump has surged, in part by tapping into the public's anger with Washington.

Rubio, a first-term senator, has also eschewed the campaign trail at times for hearings and votes on Capitol Hill, where he's taken heat for being absent since launching his White House run in April.