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.

By Steve Holland

FITCHBURG, Wisc. (Reuters) – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Saturday predicted a victory on Saturday in Wisconsin’s upcoming primary contest and said he believed it could help put him on a path to clinching the nomination.

Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, has come from behind in the polls in Wisconsin to take the lead over chief rival Rick Santorum. The state will vote on Tuesday along with Maryland and Washington, D.C.

APPLETON, Wisconsin (Reuters) – Closing in on the Republican nomination, presidential hopeful Mitt Romney turned his attention on Friday to a general election fight with President Barack Obama over the U.S. economy.

At the start of a five-day blitz in Wisconsin that could prove crucial to the Republican race, Romney ignored his three party rivals and tried to position himself as the presumed nominee to face Obama in the November 6 election.

HOUSTON (Reuters) – Step by step, Mitt Romney is tightening his grip on the Republican presidential nomination race despite a continued penchant for gaffes on the campaign trail.

Romney was in Houston on Thursday to accept the endorsement of former President George H.W. Bush, the latest in a line of establishment figures to choose the former Massachusetts governor as the Republicans’ best chance of defeating Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 6 election.

BURBANK, California (Reuters) – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney had this assignment for Rick Santorum on Tuesday to make light of his chief rival’s frequent tussles with the news media: “Press secretary.”

Romney, who sometimes struggles to connect with everyday voters, appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” for an interview that was at times serious and at times humorous.

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) – Mitt Romney scrambled on Monday to raise campaign money to help him fend off the lingering challenge from rival Rick Santorum for the Republican presidential nomination, and he acknowledged that the battle could extend into June.

The Republicans’ extended race to find a challenger to President Barack Obama is sucking up more time and donors’ money than expected, possibly weakening the eventual nominee at the November 6 general election.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Mitt Romney, sensing the Republican presidential nomination will be his, is working behind the scenes to try to unify conservatives behind him and he may be gaining some traction.

Romney’s objective is to ease conservative doubts about his candidacy raised repeatedly by chief rivals Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich, who denounce him as a Massachusetts moderate who will forsake conservative views if he becomes the nominee.

ARBUTUS, Maryland (Reuters) – Call it the great “Etch A Sketch” controversy of 2012.

Fresh from a solid victory in Illinois, Mitt Romney’s Republican presidential campaign got caught up in a flap on Wednesday over an aide’s comments his opponents said made clear Romney is not a real conservative.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Blown out in Illinois, Rick Santorum now has a far tougher path to the Republican presidential nomination and looks more like he is reduced to playing the role of spoiler against rival Mitt Romney.

The former Pennsylvania senator could have upended Romney’s up-and-down campaign with a surprise upset in Illinois. Instead, Santorum will face important questions about he can possibly overtake Romney’s lead in the race for the 1,144 delegates needed for the nomination.