New Hampshire ? Republican Rudy Giuliani didn’t wait to hear how badly he fared in New Hampshire before pressing onward to what he hopes will be friendlier territory.

The former New York mayor quickly thanked his supporters Tuesday night then left for Florida, one of the delegate-rich states central to his risky strategy that put little stock in the traditional roles of Iowa and New Hampshire.

“This is just the beginning. Think of it as the kickoff in what’s going to be a very long and very tough game,” Giuliani told about 100 supporters in a hotel ballroom. “By the time it’s over with, by February 5th, it’s going to be clear that we’re the nominee of the party.”

Though he all but ignored Iowa, Giuliani invested a fair amount in New Hampshire, with a cluster of visits in the fall and $2.5 million in advertising. At the same time, his underlying strategy has been to focus on later voting states, particularly delegate-rich states like California and Florida.