Will Akin's 'Rape' Claim Cost Republicans the Senate?

Some Republicans want Akin to quit, others are conceding the race

Republicans are racing to condemn Rep. Todd Akin after his jaw-dropping remarks that in cases of "legitimate rape," "the female body" has a way to end the pregnancy. Some are saying Akin just lost himself the Missouri Senate race - a loss that would "quash the party's hopes of reclaiming the Senate majority," writes Politico's David Catanese.

An anonymous Republican official told Politico that "most have moved past worrying to conceding." Mark Reardon, a conservative radio host in St. Louis, tweeted: "Just catching up on this @RepToddAkin stuff. Congrats to @clairecmc for winning re-election."

Other Republicans, like MA Sen. Scott Brown and pundit SE Cupp, have called on Akin to withdraw from the race and allow someone else to run instead. The lastest date he can pull out is Tuesday.

But not so fast, says the National Journal's Josh Kraushaar: the race "is still a toss-up." Akin's comment may cost him some female voters, but that won't necessarily lose him the seat. His opponent, current Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill, has weak approval numbers, and Missouri is still a very conservative state on social issues.

Via Politico, the NYDailyNews, and the National Journal.

Will Akin's 'rape' remarks cost him the Missouri Senate seat?

[InjusticeSucks]

One could only hope and Pray this dirt bag get what coming to him.

[Keyjo]

I don't know what he has coming to him.
But I do know that one thing he DOESN'T deserve is a seat in the Senate.

[Real4WheelDrv]

of course it will. What he said was moronic, and while not as severe, reminds me of comments made by "intellectuals" back in the day that a black person's brain made them by nature incapable of more than base urges and primitive thought. Rape all the gals ya want boys, she's got an off switch! SMH

[Stratton]

" Rape all the gals ya want boys, she's got an off switch! "

That wasn't remotely what he was trying to say and you know it.

[Real4WheelDrv]

@Stratton Shrug. And YOU know it isn't WHAT he said but how it will be received, almost nothing a politician says is taken at face value. Case in point, Catty's response below.

[Stratton]

@Real4WheelDrv - I can't argue with you there.

[rrh7152]

I would hope so

[Thunderchicken]

Will Akin's 'Rape' Claim Cost Republicans the Senate?

An August 12th poll had him up by eleven percent. Given that the undecideds are at five percent. I doubt it will cost him the election. We'll see in November.

[DerivePI]

"Translation for Dummies" - Will Missouri voters re-elect "legitimate failed government" or vote for the candidate that apologized when he said something stupid?

[CanadianIndy]

Little difficult to say if someone failed...if they never actually did much.

[Graydog]

No, he should fit in fine with his new GOP brothers.

[VCP]

Stupid is, as stupid does. If anybody would want anyone that stupid to represent them. Then I hope they get what they want. Please refer to my first sentence.

[DerivePI]

I think McCaskill already settled issue. Now we're just checking to see if they're crazy.

[WaterHaMarlin]

The word sex should not be used at all in male and female relationships. The word sex diminishes or masks the reality of what is happening during sexual intercourse. Rape is an act of violence but couldn't consensual sex become an act of violence if a forming life is aborted/destroyed.

[katniss641]

I don't know is they can get him out or not but if not he will just be another idiot who can't keep his mouth shut.No wonder we are losing the election before we even have it.

[Bobolinsky]

The more I think about what this guy said, the more I disagree with his logic. Akin is for abolishing abortion outright. He uses as his primary explanation the idea that "the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”

If that is rue and there probably is some truth to it then that is all well and good for the women who's bodies DO "shut that whole thing down." Those aren't the women for whom I would like to preserve the right to have an abortion. It's for the women whose bodies DON'T "shut that whole thing down."

[CanadianIndy]

Must say...stings a little to agree with you, but I gotta give you this one. Well put, good sir.

[Catty]

We can only hope! It seems that Conservative and Republican men are ignorant of biology. Their comments, Including those of Rush Limbaugh, show a vast lack of knowledge of female bodily functions or sexual response. To them all female bodily functions, whether it be menstruation, miscarriage, contraception use, abortion, criminal rape or cramps are evil manifestations of some conspiracy to manipulate men, and thereby deny the sacred sperm. Please stop electing these cretins into positions of power.

[Stratton]

You've never actually spent a minute talking to a conservative or a Republican in real life, have you? Your description is reminiscent of Julius Streicher's inflammatory anti-Semitic libels in Der Sturmer. I'm surprised you didn't allege that Republicans drink the blood of children.

[Catty]

@Stratton
Your response has what to do with the Comment I made? You are speaking of something totally unrelated to my comments. You, obviously are not only ignorant of biology but of comprehension. Yeah, I know lots of conservatives and Republicans which is how I know of what I speak.

[FenceSitter K]

Thanks for your comments everyone. Please try to respect all opinions on this topic and not make this a personal issue.

You can check out our Engagement Etiquette here: http://politix.topix.com/about/community

- FenceSitter

[Stratton]

LOL...I guess everyone who disagrees with you about anything must be "ignorant about biology", or maybe just all males? I'd be willing to bet you don't have an academic degree in biology or anything close to it.

[CanadianIndy]

Ahem.../Doctor/ Ron Paul is an OBGYN. Not all Republicans are ignorant when it comes to issues dealing with female...routines, for lack of a better word...but usually the ones who actually know what they're talking about aren't as popular. Being more intelligent or knowledgeable than the American public is not a popular move.

[Wilberhum]

I would assume that Akin will never win any race again.
Well maybe the race to the dog house.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

The Reps will only lose the senate if we let liberals distract and deflect the real issue of the economy by talking about trivial issues. Politix, as well as all major liberal news media, are doing a spectacular job at trying to deflect. Good thing that we now have the internet and we can research the lies that the leftist media spews. The Senate, House, and presidency will all be Republican after Nov. 6th because the American people are tired of obysmal's federal government invading every aspect of their lives.

[Keyjo]

Mighty bold prediction, Neo. I can only speculate that you may run in a limited circle.
And I mean that respectfully, no offense intended.

[Thunderchicken]

I can't believe some of these posts. You'd think he'd stomped a puppy or something. It was a stupid comment that Akin has apologized for and clarified. Geez!

Would that you all were as hard on Holder or Geitner.

[Stratton]

Unfortunately, he played right into the Left's hysteria that Republicans are "anti-woman". It's not about looking at anything rationally, it's about trying to whip female voters into a paranoid frenzy that Republicans are going to make them wear chastity belts or something.

[mars2112]

Akin said something idiotic, no doubt. But for most people actions speak louder than words. For example, Senator Claire McCaskill is a Tax Cheat. Timothy Geithner the current Treasury Secretary is a Tax Cheat. President Bill Clinton was an adulterer-in-chief and possibly a rapist while Governor of AR. Senator Ted Kennedy was a womanizer and should have been at the least charged with manslaughter in the drowning death of Mary Jo Kopechne. Senator Robert Byrd was a KKK member for crying out loud. The point is this, having a “D” behind your name gives one carte blanche. You can say stupid things, be an outright scum bag, commit crimes, cheat on your taxes, cheat on your wives and you could still be elected or even reelected to public office. I find it fascinating the selective moral outrage of democrats. Just heard Akin may drop out of the senate race in Missouri, maybe he should. But if he were a democrat, he would not even consider it and half of these people posting here and the entire left wing media would be defending him.

[PayThatCEO]

You're obviously a man.

[truthsayer]

It's going to cost him the race. He's friends are jumping ship like rats. It would have been better for him just to say I don't know enough about the subject to make and informed opinion . Remember that old saying better to look like an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. It may not have been what he meant to say but....... Third party anyone.

[Sonny]

I don't know if it will cost republicans the senate or not...But this guy certainly should not be a US Senator!

[Dash-Riprock]

He doesn't need to quit the race. He needs to keep talking.

[Keyjo]

Equal opportunity!
He's the male version of Michele Bachmann and Sara Palin.

[CanadianIndy]

I thought that was Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly or Rush Limbaugh?:D

[Keyjo]

@CanadianIndy
To some degree, but this surpasses even the "I can see Russia from my back yard," stupid comment.

[CanadianIndy]

@Keyjo I remember that. Made milk come out my nose. Though my personal favorite was when Bachmann mixed up Elvis' birthday with the anniversary of his death.

[ded]

I'm a bit lost by this discussion. When he said "legitimate rape", he was clearly using the word (inaccurately and colloquially) to mean "true rape" or "real rape". That's obvious, right? So that is in itself a controversial/offensive distinction to make, but it seems that a lot of the discussion has been criticizing him for implying that some rape is legitimate (which he didn't, although it might sound superficially like he did), not for implying that some rape is worse than other rape (which he did).

[Catty]

His statement was that a "legitimate" rape would not result in pregnancy because a woman's body would resist the assault. Yet, he implies that if a woman does become pregnant, that is an "illegitimate" rape that she was asking for or was compliant in the action. To think that this guy is married and in Congress boggles the mind.

[Jack-Black]

Has Joe Biden made a comment on this subject?