2. Rubio has a unorthodox campaign plan that some Republicans don’t trust

By this point in 2011, Romney had a relatively clear campaign strategy: win in New Hampshire and use his fundraising advantage to eventually grind out the nomination, since he could afford to spent more on television ads than other candidates.

Rubio does not have a fundraising advantage.

And while other candidates have suggested Iowa (Cruz, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee) or New Hampshire (Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Bush and Christie) as the the state where they will win, Rubio’s campaign has went out of its way not to particularly target either of the first two early states. The candidate has made many fewer appearances in early states than some of his rivals.

Rubio’s aides have outlined a plan that is unorthodox. The Florida senator, through debates and other forums, will become the favorite candidate of some Republicans and someone nearly everyone in the party can accept. That will lead to victories in states, so far unnamed, and eventually the nomination.

Rubio’s campaign and the super-PAC supporting him are spending heavily on television commercials, but they don’t have a huge field staff in either New Hampshire or Iowa, as Obama did in 2008.