MILWAUKEE (AP) - Rick Santorum says his presidential campaign will continue even if he loses the Wisconsin primary on Tuesday.

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But he tells NBC's Meet the Press that the Wisconsin vote will send a "strong signal" about the direction of the Republican contest.

The former Pennsylvania senator dismisses the notion that a prolonged primary would harm the party's chances against President Barack Obama in November. Santorum says GOP establishment figures are making that argument to convince voters that "they need Mitt Romney shoved down their throats."

Santorum says front-runner Romney is the wrong candidate to challenge Obama because of Romney's support for a health care plan in Massachusetts that was the basis for Obama's health care overhaul.

Santorum said he needs to win Pennsylvania's primary on April 24.