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Subscribe to RSSMissouri Senate candidate Todd Akin, who launched a firestorm of controversy after his use of the phrase "legitimate rape" and then ignited further criticism with his comments Tuesday, has said he's going to stay in the race. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
Updated 6:12 p.m. - Rep. Todd Akin (R) did not step aside as the Republican Senate nominee in Missouri, allowing a key preliminary deadline to end his candidacy to come and go.
Akin, who's faced growing clamor from fellow Republicans to end his candidacy amid an uproar over his weekend comments about rape, said he believes it is important for him to press forward with his campaign against incumbent Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill.
"I want to make one thing absolutely clear: we are going to continue with this race," Akin said on the radio show of Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and Senate candidate.
Congressman Todd Akin may not drop his Senate bid today, but NBC's Domenico Montanaro reports his real deadline is likely Sept. 25, the date that he would be locked into the ballot. Today is the last day he can drop out of the Missouri Senate race without having to pay ballot costs.
"I've had a chance now to run through a primary. And the party people said that when you run through a primary, we'll be with you."
Akin had until 5 p.m. CST today to resign his Senate nomination without facing any procedural difficulties. He could still withdraw by Sept. 25, though he would have to petition a court to remove his name from the ballot, and have to pay costs associated with reprinting the ballots.
National Republicans have undertaken efforts to force the six-term congressman from the race. The National Republican Senatorial Committee has canceled its advertising reservations, and a pro-Republican super PAC has said it no longer plans to invest in the campaign, either. Top Republican senators have also canceled a planned fundraiser for Akin on Sept. 19.
Akin said he'd seen an influx of small-dollar donations since the initial uproar emerged on Sunday, and he said he'd received supportive calls from other colleagues in Congress, though he did not say who.
More significantly, national Republicans have begun openly agitating for Akin's ouster. Missouri's past five Republican senators released a joint statement today saying "the right decision is to step aside."
Orlin Wagner / AP
Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., talks with reporters while attending the Governor's Ham Breakfast at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, Mo.
Akin's controversy stems from comments he made last weekend on "The Jaco Report" on KTVI FOX 2 News, on which he said "legitimate rape" rarely results in pregnancy in victims. Akin has since apologized, and said he was mistaken to assert that rape culdn't result in pregnancy. He released a television ad to that effect this morning.
Republicans had high hopes of beating McCaskill before Akin made his comments over the weekend. But the congressman's persistence in the race could jeopardize the GOP's chances in this key race, which provides one of their best opportunities to achieve the net gain of four seats Republicans need this fall to take control of the Senate in the next Congress.
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As an unapologetic Republican, I say "Get out!"
I say it because that kind of stupidity usually belongs to the lefties.
Thank you from a moderate leftie. Stupidity has to always be a primary concern for both parties. (I sometimes vote Republican when the left gets stupid)
This is exactly what the republican party stands for. The republicans have a clear history of making this kind of statement and backing it up with their vote!
Republicans generally dislike women and only want them for breeding.
Evidence being, a lot are caught in marriages pretending to be straight.
That is one STUPID statement!
Larry, with a statement like that, I have to believe you must be related to Akens. Or you have a case of one-upmanship, hear one stupid statement and you have to try to out do it.
Akin has nothing to do with the Romney campaign - HOWEVER all you lib hypocrites out there how about the keynote speaker Obama chose - Bill CLinton - Accused (but not convected of molesting two women) impeached for lying to a federal judge, disbarred from practicing law in Arkansas and a BJ in the oval office. How many of you libs were calling for him to resign - Huh??? I'll answer NONE. You hypocrites with double standards are funny. So, Obama is destroying the economy, has over double the soldiers killed in Afghanistan than Bush did in Iraq in 8 years, record amount of people on welfare and below the poverty level, hiring thousands of IRS agents to enforce Obamacare, EPA guidelines that will destroy much of our industrial base and choosing this abuser of women as his keynote speaker. Nice
QUOTE: " Akin has nothing to do with the Romney campaign"
are you kidding? Half the bills that Ryan has sponsored have been co-sponsored by Akin.
You libs making up stuff. Show me where that AKIN has anything to do with the ROMNEY campaign. If you think there is then Obama's campaign has Wright, Dorn and Ayers having influence over Obama's campaign. Rather have an idiot than group of American hating terrorists. And, Obama already has an idiot, the next in line BIDEN
Good for him....I look forward to more ignorant comments from him so I can comment. In fact, even if he loses I may follow this 6 term Congressman who I've never heard of before because....well, he never, ever did anything memorable.
It's not like he's very smart to begin with, I don't know why people thought he'd step down.
Akin's biggest problem....he thinks the un-born have rights...not in America.
He will have to learn that the hard way. Can't let your mouth pass your brain when you have convictions.
No one should call for Akin to resign. Let him continue to speak for the tea party and show his ignorance.
JL another lib with wrong facts - AKIN was not the tea party candidate.
Why, do you think having an impeached woman abuser as your keynote speaker is better?
I see that NBCNews is back to their old liberal puppet bias again. This story has had top billing for 2 days now, yet Biden's comment about putting African Americans back in chains, a far worse comment, was barely a blip on the radar.
Biden is not referring to literal chains. Akin literally wants to force raped women bear the child of their rapist.
Do the world a favor and grow the **** up ChasSD
Siara, you don't like Capitalism or America do you?
John Edwards the perfect example of a democrat
http://www.theipinionsjournal.com/2008/07/failed-presidential-candidate-john-edwards-caught-cheating-on-his-wife/
Edwards is a sick POS but he is not the one who is in favor of forcing me to bear my rapist's kid.
Obama is being controlled by America hater and terrorists (Wright-Dorn-Ayers). Let's not elect someone that keeps such horrible company. Obama must be an America hating terrorist too.
He was verifying the exact thing that Republicans stand for (anti abortion) he just veiled it with stupidity.
Hang in there, Todd! Don't quit. It'll virtually guarantee the Dems hold the seat.
Americans are intelligent, spirited, and free-thinking. We respond and react to all kinds of news everyday. Let's all take a deep breath and THINK, really think, about what our candidates and legislators are saying and doing.
Thank you, Congressman Akin, for informing me, as a woman, that I have a little trap door inside my reproductive system that will shut if I am being raped....legitimately raped, that is, and prevent conception. I am grateful that you serve on the House Science Committee in Washington and have learned and shared this tidbit of biological science with me. Just think, I'm 61 years old and I never knew that!
I am also grateful to learn that there seems to be a difference between legitimate rape and I guess I will call it illegitimate rape. I always thought rape was RAPE, was never legitimate, legally and morally speaking, and that it was a criminal act of sexual intercourse or other sexual acts perpetrated upon a woman against her will. Please educate me as to the definition of "legitimate rape". BTW, I do understand that rape is, rarely, committed on men.
I think, sir, that you are at the very least, terribly misinformed, and at worst, a misogynist whose medieval taliban-like thinking came out of the closet oh-so-publicly yesterday. I hope you are finished as a politician and a "leader".
I think Republicans and anyone who espouses their views on human sexuality, abortion and birth control need to let some light and air actually circulate in their heads. Let me give you an example to help you think this through....
I am raped. I become pregnant as a result of this rape, because my magical little trap door doesn't shut. I am wounded mentally, emotionally and spiritually, and perhaps develop PTSD. My Republican government has made it illegal for me to have an abortion (this is what the Repubs are really after - reversal of Roe v. Wade), and so I carry and birth this child. I am single, and now I am a single mother - another social identity the Republicans frown on. I cannot work, because I have a baby to care for and raise. I am emotionally and mentally damaged from the experience of legitimate rape. I have no money to care for myself and this child. I know!!! I'll ask my government for help; after all, they made me keep the pregnancy. I'll apply for welfare......oops, just remembered, ALL GONE. So is Medicaid, Food Stamps, and child care. My Republican government has eliminated these help-the-needy programs to reduce the national debt and to shrink government, and to reduce their own taxes. What do I do now? This is a serious question I would like any Republican to answer.....perhaps Todd Akin will dig into his own pocket to help me out, putting his money where his mouth is. You may call yourself pro-life, anti-abotion, some even anti-birth control, but you are not supporters of this life once it is in the world needing care and support.
And now, since children carry the DNA from the 2 people who conceived them and tend to actually look like their egg and sperm donors, I get to look into the face of my rapist for the rest of my life.
I am a victim of a hate crime, a crime of rage, a crime committed on my body, and that's the key here that the religious right and Republicans seem to ignore...MY BODY. Anti-abortion legislators are mostly men, and you have absolutely not one clue about the experience of conception, pregnancy and birth, and never will.
As a thinker, I respectfully ask Republicans to take religion, and all its inherent shame, blame, and guilt about sexuality (I should say female sexuality), out of politics. Whatever happened to Separation of Church and State? I respectfully ask you to get out of my vagina, my uterus, my whole sexual nature, and to rethink your solutions of vaginal probes, forced pregnancy, legitimate rape, magical trap doors. I ask you to consider the reality that you have absolutely no right to commandeer what choices a woman makes about her own body.
I also often think about the fact that in all the insanity around the issue of SEX and women, I have never heard one word about sperm, forcing a MAN to look at sonograms of fetuses, asking men to pay for abortion of fetuses they have created, legislating that a man who created the fetus also be considered a murderer. Really, what's up with that? How did they become exempt?
Just think about it....use your intelligence, and if that's too big of a request, use your common sense.
Please read my blog at: americasiq.blogspot.com
New blog: Mitt Romney and Stericycle. Did he made millions of dollars on abortion?
Julie - your post has to be one of the most thoughtful, intelligent and non-hysterical posts concerning the histrionics surrounding the "definition" of "rape" (which, by the way, has been defined for YEARS) and forcing women to bear the child of their rapist that I have ever read. You can better believe I'll be reading your blog from now on...and I'll be tweeting americasiq.blogspot.com so that others can see an example of reasoned thought! Thank you for sharing.
If a violation of your body happened to you. What word would you accept to explain your ordeal if you had a choice?
A. Rape
B. Forcible Rape
C. legitimate rape
Send your choice to your local Republican representative and ask him to explain the differences.
Is this where we are in American society? Say one thing (even though it was pretty dumb) and your long career is over without any chance for redemption?
You have to be out of your mind to want to serve the public in any way. We have become a society of over-the-top, emotional ingrates. Maybe this is why such substandard nitwits occupy Washington D.C.
And to think this dope who "heard something one time" (his words) is on the science committee. Can you really want someone this ignorant governing you?
Hang in there Todd. Don't let them push you around. You're the guy the people picked!
Actually I suspect he'll wimp out at 4:59 so the repuke backroomers can pick whomever they like to try and save this disaster.
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/news/Teacher-who-got-student-pregnant-will-receive-pension-health-insurance/-/4714498/16137058/-/137pkt1/-/index.html
a unionized teacher that got a student pregnant
Then it couldn't have been rape. Right, moron?
ONEREALMAN???, if the guy is union as you say (and I read the entire article and it doesn't state that anywhere) why is the Dept. of Ed. spokesperson speaking about his benefits and not a union rep??
Who cares...she's not passing hate legislation against women or running for office.
Irrelevant
Thank you thank you and hallelujah...you have just given your seat to the Dem in the race. The nation thanks you.
Yes Cronewinter...he's also helping to keep the story in the news....thank you for that.
He's making sure that the negative light also stays on Ryan for co-authoring a misogynistic bill with this sicko.
I hope he stays in the race right up until the end.
He'll be the poster boy for what the Republicans think of women.
Akin, Ryan and Romnei are best things that ever happened for the Democrats. Warped brains, hidden foreign bank accounts, shady dealings and all around ignorance when it comes to "womens" rights, can do no good for the already debunk republicans. Wish we could declare them illegal aliens and outsource them from the country.
plus, too dumb to successfully disguise their beliefs.
So did Cain and Gingrich and Perry and Bachmann and Santorum...............
and hillary still supports the idea that bill was faithful
ONEREALMAN
Actually.......no. She has acknowledged publicly on several occasions his faults and daliances.
Any other lies you care to make up??
I really don't understand the Dems attitude they are so blood thirsty when it comes to killing the innocent unborn. Only thing i I know is their franchise planned parenthood would lose out on some of it's blood money. Isn't it the democrats that are always in the street preaching peace how can you have peace when you are so blood thirsty you are willing to sacrafice your most innocent instead of love them? How can we have peace when your always protecting the perpitrators instead of the victims?
...just what we need: another idiot in the u.s. senate! and if our incumbent is any indication, in four years this idiot will run for president and win.....
oh yes, please stay in so the Dems can keep the Senate seat. Good job.
claire mccaskill is losing by ten points for a good reason and your wishing won't change that
The republican party has a clear and unmistakable history of making statements very much like this and backing it up with their vote.
I disagree. The republican party since Newt Gingrich has a clear and unmistakable history of this stuff. Before that, they were just conservatives.
let's do it the other way ... unionized female teacher gets pregnant by student
http://abcnews.go.com/US/texas-teacher-student-sex-scandal-pregnant/story?id=12213226
Another non-rape. Women can't get pregnant if they are raped. Right, moron? Isn't that the new official republican party line.
Unless the republican party commits to choosing an alternate candidate with a working brain instead of just religious fanaticism, then Rep Akin, by all means stay in the race and talk as much and as often as you want to and don't let any tea party advisors tell you what not to say.
He owes no one an apology and he should not drop out.