David M Jackson

USA TODAY

EXETER, N.H. -- Donald Trump, retail politician.

The New York billionaire, seeking to regain political momentum after a second-place finish in Iowa, pursued an unusually crowded schedule Thursday in pursuit of a recovery win in next week's New Hampshire primary.

"You're going to play such a big role," Trump told Granite State residents packed into the well of Exeter's old-style town hall, also noting that he still leads many polls.

During the event, Trump avoided repeating his claim Wednesday that the Iowa winner, Ted Cruz, "stole" Monday's caucuses by misleading voters — a claim that continued to draw ridicule from some of his rivals.

“I don’t think it ever helps after you lose an election to ask for a do-over," Chris Christie told Fox News. "The fact is elections are played, they’re no beanbags, they’re not easy."

Christie, Trump, and other Republicans continued to criss-cross New Hampshire in a race with a number of cross-currents. They include the battle between Trump and Cruz, as well as attacks by Christie and Jeb Bush on Marco Rubio, who carried momentum from his strong showing in Iowa.

Trump, whose preference has been for rally speeches in big arenas, also planned some of the person-to-person campaigning that has marked the New Hampshire primary for more than a half-century. His schedule Thursday included a meeting with New Hampshire business owners in Exeter, and participation in a shift change in the Manchester Police Department. He also has another town hall Thursday night in Portsmouth.

The billionaire took questions at the town hall in Exeter, including one from a woman who protested his harsh comments about illegal immigration. Many migrants "do work no one else wants to do," the woman said, drawing boos from the pro-Trump crowd.

In a reference to Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders, Trump said to the woman: "Who told you to be here, Bernie?"

In attacking Cruz for his tactics in Iowa, Trump noted that Cruz operatives spread false rumors that Ben Carson was pulling out of the race, and urged his supporters to back the Texan. The Trump campaign has also hit a Cruz mailer that gave voters false information about qualifying to caucus.

Cruz said he has apologized to Carson, but mocked Trump's complaints about sour grapes. "I don’t think the people are interested in temper tantrums," Cruz said of the billionaire on Thursday.

Rubio, hoping to build on his third-place finish in Iowa, also stumped the Granite State in the face of heavy criticism from rivals.

Bush, the former Florida governor who backed Rubio's political rise in that state, told NBC News that his former protege is "a gifted politician," but his life is built "around his own ambitions." Bush also had his own special event planned for Thursday night, featuring mother and former first lady Barbara Bush.

Christie, appearing on MSNBC's Morning Joe, continued to argue that Rubio has done nothing in the U.S. Senate, and to describe Rubio as a "bubble boy" who avoids answering tough questions. The New Jersey governor noted that a new Rubio endorser — former presidential candidate Rick Santorum — couldn't name a Rubio accomplishment.

"So it's time for the boy in the bubble to come out of the bubble and answer these questions and tell us things rather than just continue to give the same speech he's been giving for the last six years," the New Jersey governor said.

Rubio, campaigning on the theme that he represents a new generation of leadership, said opponents are attacking him because he is doing well.

“It’s sad that after finishing near the bottom in Iowa, Jeb Bush and Chris Christie are now doing everything possible to tear down Marco Rubio, the one conservative who can beat Hillary Clinton" said Rubio spokesman Jahan Wilcox.

Many of these claims will be aired Saturday night, when Republican candidates gather for their last debate before Tuesday's primary.