,”Arizona Sen. John McCain extended his command in the Republican presidential race with a convincing win in the Wisconsin primary.

McCain's double-digit win over former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee cements his role as party front-runner, and he looked to the general election in his victory speech Tuesday night. With nearly all precincts reporting, McCain held a 55 percent to 37 percent lead over Huckabee, according to The New York Times.

In his address to supporters in Columbus, Ohio, McCain appeared to target his message at Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who continued his momentum by defeating New York Sen. Hillary Clinton in the Wisconsin Democratic race Tuesday.

"Americans are not deceived by an eloquent, but empty, call for change," McCain said shortly after major news organizations declared him the Wisconsin winner around 8 p.m.

Wisconsin Republican Party chair Reince Priebus said McCain is the "biggest nightmare for Democrats" and will provide strong competition for either Obama or Clinton in Wisconsin during the general election next November.

Priebus and around 50 other party supporters gathered to watch election returns at the campaign headquarters of Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker in West Allis.

Trying to get a jump on the next major contests, McCain traveled to Ohio Tuesday after a morning appearance in Brookfield, Wis. Republican primaries in Ohio and Texas are March 4.

McCain also won the Washington state primary Tuesday.

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