Drum roll, please. Today is the day Mitt Romney is expected to clinch the Republican presidential nomination.

Texans will go to the polls today and should put the former Massachusetts governor over the 1,144 delegates needed to become the GOP standard-bearer against President Obama. With no presidential primary to speak of, all eyes will be on the Texas GOP primary for U.S. Senate.

"It'll be a big day tomorrow," Romney told reporters Monday evening. "I'm looking forward to good news."

The presumptive GOP nominee will be courting voters in Colorado and Nevada today, as well as raising money with Donald Trump in Las Vegas.

As one strategist told USA TODAY's Jackie Kucinich recently, Romney's long march for GOP delegates has prepared him for the fall campaign. "Gov. Romney is stronger and more battle-tested," said Mike DuHaime, Rudy Giuliani's campaign manager in 2008.

(Contributing: Associated Press)