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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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never ceases to amaze me how ambition usually masks stupidity, until that wonderful shining moment occurs when even ambition can't cover up just plain old ignorant, and angry.
One thing, though, as a caucasian male who's enlightened enough to support social issues from gay marriage to a woman's right to choose, and is even a registered democrat, I'd really appreciate it if people didn't always assume white men were all racist, mysoginistic pigs. I try not to make broad assumptions about other people or groups, even when they appear to 'all be the same' based on profession or public perception. Don't get me wrong, I get why Aiken is such a douche, and so many caucasian males do follow his mold. In all aspects of my life I try not to be that person, and I think it's way too easy to assume, de facto, that people who look like me are.
Interesting to see Claire McCaskill endorse Akin's candidacy... looks like the Democrat's $1.5 million investment in Akin is paying off. Akin will never be a US Senator. How much more damage will Akin do before he withdraws?
Of course she wants to run against him. The national party and PACs are diverting time and money elsewhere, and that comment is going to be the gift that keeps on giving as far as she's concerned.
Akin might have been a little more receptive to withdrawing if Romney, Ryan and other Republicans hadn't publicly piled on him. Perhaps they should should have tried to reach out to Akin privately instead of nailing him to the cross throughout the media. Of course, he might still chicken out and withdraw before the September 25 deadline.
Atkins probably attended the same church with Sen. A. Craig.
You're getting a good look at the BALL-LESS RINOS in the establishment. Living in California as a NON-PARTISAN voter, wimpy republicans have cut and run when we needed them the most to stand up and fight against these extremist liberal RACIST , BIGOTED, and SLEAZY Democratic lesbians. Look at what has happened to our state of California as a result of these wimpy RINOS like Arnold Swarzenegger and Abel Maldonado. This state is ruined by stuffing 10 million Illegal Alien mexicans and astronomical TAXES!!!!
There are meds available, go get that prescription!!
Yes, and of course those lesbians are responsible for the 10 million illegal immigrants. Brilliant!
I guess he forgot to change in the 60s.
Akin is PRO-LIFE
McCaskill is PRO-ABORTION
Deal with it....
And you're PRO STUPID!
She is not pro abortion. She does not support forcing people to have abortions. She is pro-choice. She supports a woman's right to make her own healthcare decisions.
What nobody seems to realize is that whatever Akin said in his delusional right wing christian hate is that all of this has only one answer: It's Obama's fault!
That should put this issue to rest forever.
He needs to do whatever is takes to keep McCaskill out. Remember the phony Mc Caskill was joined at the hip with Oblahbo and was a strong supporter of Obamacare. Now she distances herself unbelievably.
Wishful thinking is not healthy, it gives you pimples.
McCaskill and Obama "joined at the hip" ? Thats a good one.
The Democratic Party is imploding right before our eyes and is no longer the MAINSTREAM democratic party of your father and grandfather.....
Are you a late 1800s democrat?
He slept through the 60s.
Isn't it amazing that we have an entire political party dedicated to the study of science and have concluded that women can't get pregnant if they are raped, the earth is only 6000 years old, and Adam & Eve were real people who rode their pet dinosaurs to church every Sunday to pray to Baby Jesus.
Correction. My response wasn't attached to intended comment. Sorry. My mistake.
You conservative women who support Republicans must have what is called "battered woman syndrome".
Battered woman syndrome (BWS),repeated episodes of physical assault on a woman by the person with whom she lives or with whom she has a relationship, often resulting in serious physical and psychological damage to the woman.
Most battered women report that they thought that the assaults would stop; unfortunately, studies show that the longer the women stay in the relationship the more likely they are to be seriously injured.
Victims of the battered woman syndrome are often afraid to leave the man and the situation; change, loneliness, and the unknown are perceived as more painful than the abuses.
OCCUPIERS should send in President Obama and Babs Boxer to campaign for Claire.......
And you should change your name to something more practical like: RealNothing.
Or RealStupid!
RD - Are you just gonna keep on foaming at the mouth with your tyrannical conjecture or are you going add something USEFUL to the conversation?
I guess he has decided to make sure the seat stays with the democrats, because his guys didn't back up his stupidity as he expected them to
OK Missouri - it's up to you. If this guy stays in the race, and you re-elect him...you will be inflicting this idiot on the entire country again. Please don't do that...keep him to yourself!
Obama has been such a useless, worthless president that the lib socialists will do anything but talk about his record. What a sad group of knuckleheads.
Yes, and we will be so sad for the next four years.
George Bush? Is that you?
Akin is in line with mainstream republican politics but the dumb bastard actually believed sane people believed the BS he spouted.
You give them hell stupid!
One less Repukeatin to worry about :)
Sen. Claire McCaskill 2012
The dialogue so far is that both Repubs and Demos have done stupid s**t. The point is that Akin should remove himself from the race as I would insist any Repub or Demo would do if they had the same stupid s**t.
Akin probably also thinks that incest is protected under the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), as part of "family values"
Thanks Akin, the repubs the gift that keeps on given!!!!!!!
Atkins new campaign slogan: legitimate rape makes me go ape! Aint rape great when its legiimate. Besides them women are asking for it,often dressing up like sluts. Time for my Bible studies!
If you republicans aren't willing to fight for this guy, Akin, you will live in a country that is ran like the State of California. And yes, the lesbians are responsible for our state being chock full of Illegal Alien mexicans.....
Real democrat? What are you 110 years old?
10 is closer.
Nothing better then a Christian racist,I know jesus approves!
What GOP war against women??
Yeehaw!
I don't understand why he won't drop out and give someone else the chance not to make an idot of themselves. All repbulican politicians are not idiots. We have several qualified individuals. Not this one. When asked a simple question; can not reply in an intelligent manner. What would happen if he was given a difficult question. I beleive a 5 th grad sunday schooler could have done better. When you screw up admit it. At least Obama does that off handedly.
Akin is wrong no doubt about it and we are from his district, plus we are Republicans, and we believe that abortion should not be used as a means of birth control because there are so many options available to prevent pregnancy, but rape is rape and it a horrible crime and no woman alive should be forced to carry a rapist child, and Akin is dead wrong and he does not represent all Republicans views that is for sure. And if he stays on the ticket then we will cross party lines and vote for Claire McCaskill.