Rubio ramping up campaign with more time in early states

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — After a summer largely spent raising money for his Republican campaign for president, Marco Rubio says he's about to start spending a whole lot more time in Iowa and the other early voting states.

Following a return to Iowa next week he'll go to the other three states — New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina — that are voting in the initial wave of presidential caucuses and primaries, his campaign advisers said.

Rubio recently hired a state director in Iowa, a position other campaigns have had in place for months, and has booked millions in television ads that will start airing in November.

Iowa Republican strategist Doug Gross, who has not endorsed a candidate, says voters like Rubio but "they haven't taken him for a test drive."

Since he entered the race in April, Rubio has spent much of his time fundraising.

Rubio has posted two well-regarded performances in the first GOP debates and picked up a number of former supporters of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker following his abrupt departure last week.