Giuliani dips into Iowa, but focuses on New Hampshire

By Brian C. Mooney, Globe Staff

Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani plans to make his last campaign stops in Iowa on Saturday, to be in Florida and New Hampshire on the day of Iowa caucus, and to campaign almost exclusively in the Granite State in the run-up to the Jan. 8 primary, according to a tentative schedule released this afternoon.

The itinerary is the latest example of the former New York City mayor's unconventional and untested approach to the early contests, a national campaign that contemplates losing in the early states and making a strong showing in Florida on Jan. 29 and many of the large states that will vote on Feb. 5. Giuliani is airing television ads in Florida, but not in Iowa and cut back his ad buy in New Hampshire.

His campaign has been downplaying expectations in Iowa, where he has been running as low as fifth in recent polls, but he scheduled one event in the state today and three on Saturday before returning to New Hampshire on Sunday for a series of events in the North Country.