ELYRIA, Ohio/CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Reuters) – President Barack Obama launched a new effort to woo Hispanics and took a swipe at Republican Mitt Romney’s “silver spoon” background on Wednesday as the two presidential rivals laid out sharply different economic visions to win over U.S. voters.

Obama, a Democrat, and Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee, outlined the weaknesses they saw in each other’s economic plans in dueling speeches in Ohio and North Carolina.

BETHEL PARK, Pennsylvania (Reuters) – After years of mistrust, Republican Mitt Romney is slowly beginning to convince reluctant conservatives to unite behind him ahead of the November 6. presidential election.

Using a mixture of public attacks on President Barack Obama’s economic record, and quieter lobbying with conservative groups, the former Massachusetts governor is now seeing the fruit of his efforts to shore up his right flank.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Newt Gingrich’s path to the Republican presidential nomination looks as hard as a mission to the moon, but he is still dreaming of the skies.

The conservative known for his big ideas and love of space travel is relying on a few long-shot scenarios in a White House bid that is running out of money and losing voter support.

BOCA RATON, Florida (Reuters) – President Barack Obama’s campaign blasted Mitt Romney on Tuesday for not paying his “fair share” of taxes, escalating the rhetoric against the leading Republican presidential contender to try to paint him as an elitist who is out of touch with ordinary Americans.

Obama has made tax fairness a key part of his re-election message and he piled on the pressure by urging support for the “Buffett Rule” during a speech in Florida, which is likely to be a key battleground state in the November 6 general election.

BOCA RATON, Florida (Reuters) – President Barack Obama’s campaign team attacked Mitt Romney on Tuesday for not paying his “fair share” of taxes, escalating rhetoric against the top Republican presidential hopeful to try to paint him as an elitist who is out of touch with ordinary Americans.

Obama, who has made tax fairness a key part of his re-election message, will pile on the pressure later in the day at a speech in Florida, urging support for the Buffett Rule, named after billionaire investor and Obama supporter Warren Buffett.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Now on a glide path to becoming the Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney’s mind is turning to potential running mates – a choice that has haunted some of his predecessors.

Romney has a rich trove of potential candidates from whom to pick, from Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin to Senator Rob Portman of Ohio.

MILWAUKEE (Reuters) – Mitt Romney won contests in Maryland and Washington, D.C. on Tuesday to tighten his grip on the race for the Republican presidential nomination and looked to land a big blow on rival Rick Santorum with an expected victory in Wisconsin.

It was a strong start for the front-runner on a big day in the Republican search for a candidate to send against Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 6 election.

WASHINGTON/MILWAUKEE (Reuters) – President Barack Obama attacked Mitt Romney directly on Tuesday for backing a controversial Republican budget plan, marking a shift into the general election as the former Massachusetts governor edged toward becoming his party’s presidential nominee.

Obama, a Democrat, rarely mentions the Republican front-runner by name, preferring to let him battle it out with rival Rick Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator.

MILWAUKEE (Reuters) – Mitt Romney can take a big step toward the Republican U.S. presidential nomination on Tuesday with victories in Wisconsin and two other contests that would increase the pressure on rival Rick Santorum to drop out of the race.

The grinding, months-long battle for the right to face Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 6 election turns to Wisconsin, Maryland and Washington D.C., and Romney leads in all three.

, (Reuters) – As Mitt Romney sought to land a knockout blow against Rick Santorum in the race for the Republican U.S. presidential nomination, the difficulty of a general election matchup against Democratic President Barack Obama became clearer.

Romney looked poised for victories in contests in Wisconsin, Maryland and Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, a sweep that would add pressure on conservative rival Santorum to yield to rising calls from party leaders for Republicans to rally behind Romney.