‘Romney wins Wisconsin in primary hat-trick’

Washington : Republican Mitt Romney pulled off a stunning hat-trick on Tuesday, winning the Wisconsin presidential primary on top of victories in Maryland and the capital Washington, US media projected.

CNN, Fox News and the CBS network all called Wisconsin for Romney, shortly after the polls closed there, as he seeks to consolidate his front-runner status in the race to be the Republican contender in the November elections.

With some 14% of the vote counted in Wisconsin, Romney was seen to be narrowly ahead on 41% with his closest rival former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum on 40%.

Trailing in third place was Texas congressman Ron Paul on 11%, followed by former house speaker Newt Gingrich on 6%