MILWAUKEE � Arizona Sen. John McCain made his case to Wisconsin Republicans Friday night, hoping to solidify his conservative credentials and rally his base before tomorrow�s primary election.

McCain, who holds a strong lead over former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, stood in front of a portrait of President Ronald Reagan and addressed a crowd of more than 350 at a Wisconsin Republican Party dinner, focusing on traditional conservative issues and patriotism.

McCain mentioned Huckabee � his only remaining competition � only briefly, and he instead worked to contrast himself with Democratic Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, one of whom he would face as the probable nominee.

�They want to raise taxes; I want to lower taxes. They want bigger government; I want smaller government,� McCain said. �They want to have the government take over the health care system in America; I want American families to decide.�

Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson introduced McCain, calling him an �outstanding conservative,� and saying it bothered him when people say McCain is not conservative enough.

�I want you to know that John McCain is pro-life,� Thompson said. �There is not one senator in the United States Senate today, yesterday or for the last 25 years that has stood the course more on spending than John McCain.�

McCain told the crowd he would carry the state of Wisconsin, which has recently gone to the Democrats by a relatively close margin.

�I want to assure you I will compete � if I am the nominee of the Republican Party � in Wisconsin and every place in this nation,� he said.

National security was central in McCain�s speech, and he returned to the topic several times. He called the struggle against radical Islamic extremism �one of the greatest evils that this nation has ever faced.�

�I want to look you in the eye and tell you I will never ever surrender; they will,� McCain said. �If I have to follow him to the gates of Hell, I will get Osama bin Laden, and I will bring him to justice.�

McCain also discussed improving veterans� health care, thanked veterans in the crowd and recounted an anecdote from his time as a prisoner in Vietnam. In the story, a fellow prisoner defied guards by sewing an American flag pattern inside his shirt, to which the prisoners said the Pledge of Allegiance daily.

�You don�t hear him tell a lot of Vietnam stories, I hear,� said Matt Flynn, a recent graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, who attended the event. �But they were really some interesting stories.�

McCain also stressed his own fiscal conservatism during the speech, saying he had never received an earmark during his years in the Senate and criticizing Clinton and Obama for receiving $342 million and $92 million, respectively, in earmarks.

�I will veto any bill that comes across my desk as president of the United States that has a single earmark project on it,� McCain said. �We�re more interested in the children of America than in the pork of America.�

McCain also touched the issues of border control and the war in Iraq, calling Clinton�s plan to withdraw troops within 60 days �surrender.�

�I am committed to the belief that success in Iraq will ensure that future generations of Americans will not be called upon to make that sacrifice,� McCain said.

John Slater, an independent who attended the dinner, said he found McCain�s speech patriotic and inspiring.

�I�ve always supported him, and now I think through his efforts to coalesce the party, he�s really demonstrating his true leadership abilities,� Slater said. �He seems to be very natural and true to his moral compass when speaking to everybody, so I�m even more supportive of him now.�