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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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Weiner had the same problem but had the guts to bow out.
Is this really the kind of person women want telling them what to do with their bodies? He should have gone the extra mile and told rape victims to 'Lay Back and Enjoy It' like so many of his republican counterparts have already done.
then you may be able to make your choice as well "objective"
Paul Ryan and Todd Akin cosponsored H.R. 3, attempting to redefine rape.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2011/04/redefine-rape-hr-3-abortion-stealth
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr3/text
He told one of his aides that he can't quit. The last thing he wants to be called is a Pu$$y.........
wasn't he just articulating the GOP platform?
Brain to Reproductive System, "Can't you see we got a rape going on here? and I mean a legitimate rape? Now shut this thing down NOW!!!!
Reproductive System to Brain: "Too late sir two eggs are out of the shoot and already doin the dirty dance with a couple of snaky sperm."
Brain to Reproductive System: "Then send out a Seals team, STK, I repeat STK, and with extreme prejudice" We get a fetus going in there and all hell is going to break loose at the Convention, caus somebody's gonna want answers as to how a legitimate rape became an unwanted pregnancy.
Reproductive System to Brain: 'Then we'll do what we always do , reclassify it as rough sex"
Presumably if the body naturally shuts down a pregnancy initiated by rape, God has sanctioned an abortion.
Run Akin Run! I love it. Shows the republican true colors.
GO AKIN !!!!.......and take RYAN with ya.....
As a faithful Dem I immediately sent 50.00 to the Senate campaign of Todd Akin....
You women are so lucky to have republicans like this who know what is best for you to do with your bodies.
Now for the scary part for Women... Paul Ryan who worship at the altar of Ayn Rand, the Atheist Goddess of cutthroat, Das Capitalist greed have embraced and co-sponsored a House bill to make "personhood" the law of the land... Paulie sophomoric Ryan, who will push Grand Ma off the cliff and apparently Mittens "soft" Romney have the same ideology and practice the same Europocentric, Aryan, male chauvinist pig behavior as Todd Akins... In the minds of Akins, Romney and Ryan, Women belong in the kitchen, barefoot, pregnant and obedient...
Paul Ryan and Todd Akin cosponsored H.R. 3, attempting to redefine rape.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2011/04/redefine-rape-hr-3-abortion-stealth
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr3/text
McCaskill is a very weak democrat. Her seat is there for the taking. Unfortunately her "opponent" is a rhino called Atkin. A conservative would have no problem unseating McCaskill but Atkin is no conservative. He isn't even a republican. My cynical side smells Chicago style politics all over Atkins behavior and posturing. Anybody look at his bank accounts and look for some checks from the WH? Atkins is an idiot and so is McCaskill period.
Andrew--You may want to look at his bio: http://www.akin.org/about-todd-akin. He's a life-long conservative Republican.
Tighten up that tin foil hat Andrew.....
The only thing Akin did wrong was making his incredibly misogynistic statement away from Sunday night's Klan rally.
Its not a misspeak (stupid term...thanks GW Bush Jr, you f'ing moron)....its simply an honest accounting of the Republican platform with regard to how they think about women.
If you're a woman...you just have to ask yourself a couple simple questions. Given Akin's statements and the fact that Ryan has co-authored a bill with him...is this the party that you think best represents and values the rights of women? Is this the party you'd trust to ensure the well being of your daughters, sisters, mothers, etc?
For me, the answer is "Hell No"...and I'll be voting in that direction and encouraging everyone I know to do the same.
It's a real shame that republicans can't think of a way to turn legitimate rape into a tax cut for millionaires.
Maybe he's a plant to detract from tax records. Just kidding. Now they have to ride more than one horse
At breakfast this morning when the waitress asked him how he liked his eggs......he said fertilized......
He later left a tip: "If rape is gonna happen, might as well relax and try to enjoy it."
Does the R after his name stand for Republican or Rape? What a disgraceful party.
The party Mitt should be concerned about is the blanket party they are gonna give him in Tampa....
Stands for retard....
nomoresameo
Staying in. Why not?
He is now the poster boy for what the new republican party has become.
The GNOP mantra:
Women don't need contraception in any form
Abortion should be banned (((*)))
Guns for all (((*)))
End Medicare
End Medicaid
Up the retirement age (((*)))
End Social Security
Remove restrictions on business to allow them to do what they want (((*)))
Remove restrictions from Wall Street
Stop immigration (((*)))
Raise taxes on people earning less than $50,000 through less deductions
Lower taxes for those earning more than $100,000 through more tax deductions
Cut government jobs (((*)))
Increase the budget for the military (((*)))
The ones marked with a (((*))) I agree with!
Maybe the Democrat strategy going forward should be to simply let these Republican candidates TALK. In my lifetime, never have so many said so very little and ended up saying so much.
If this republican's doctor told him that women can't get pregnant from rape, he needs to find a doctor that didn't graduate with honors from liberty university.
Dr. Bombay has good credentials......
Easy......their diploma was gods will.
I, for one, am looking forward to the damage he will cause the GOP by staying in the race.
It's like watching a blooper reel!
More like a plane crash in slow motion....
Coming up on his agenda is a mandatory law for Burkas to be worn in public.
According to this article, Akin used the term "legitimate rape." End of Akin. The banking/media cartel strikes again.
So someone is discussing a movie whose title contains two unpleasant words and you report that he said "@#$-&^." Bye Bye.
He needs to go - and take his dinosaur mentality with him...
<< Hi. My name is Akin and I'm one of the most stupid people you'll meet in a while. That said I urge you to please let me continue to run your lives. Ignorance and stupidity should not be used to judge a man's character. Thank you. >>
Right now Palin is proud of how mavericky he is going.