Undoubtedly so they can prepare Democrats’ opposition research for them.

Take, for instance, this story today from ABC News. Marco Rubio is going to be in Iowa. Sound the 2016 alarms!

Mitt Romney only lost his presidential bid on Tuesday night.  So when does the courting of voters for the Republican 2016 nomination begin? How about next week?

Florida Senator Marco Rubio is heading to the first caucus state of Iowa on Nov. 17 to headline an annual campaign fundraising birthday party for Iowa governor Terry Branstad.

Last year all the presidential hopefuls, except for Mitt Romney, came to the party to court the governor and Iowa political dignitaries who attended the bash.

The governor’s spokesperson, Tim Albrecht, a caucus expert himself, told ABC News that Branstad invited Rubio “a couple of months ago” and is “excited he accepted.”

“Sen. Rubio is a star within our party,” Albrecht said. “We were excited Sen. Rubio accepted, and regardless of what happened on Tuesday he was going to come, and it guarantees a successful fundraiser.”

Sheesh — can’t a guy go to Iowa just to kick back and have a good ti… Sorry, I can’t even type that with a straight face.

(In all fairness, Iowa is a perfectly lovely state with many perfectly lovely people.  But after this week, it has earned some mockery.)