The national GOP has cut its ties with Rep. Todd Akin and the U.S. Senate race in Missouri — but the state GOP is still working to defeat Sen. Claire McCaskill.
McCaskill premiered a new ad Wednesday, which made no mention of Akin or the controversy over his false statement that a woman’s body can prevent pregnancy in cases of “legitimate rape.” The ad is a positive biographical spot that depicts her as independent voice for Missouri.
But that was enough to incense Missouri Republicans. State GOP Executive Director Lloyd Smith said McCaskill is “notorious for saying one thing in Missouri and doing the opposite in Washington,” in a statement. “It’s absurd that Claire McCaskill, who has voted with Barack Obama 95 percent of the time since 2010, would pretend to be anything but a rubber-stamp for his reckless agenda.”
That seemingly puts the Missouri state GOP at odds with national Republicans like RNC Chairman Reince Priebus who have vowed not to help Akin, who they think should leave the race.
“This is about Claire McCaskill’s disingenuous effort to paint herself as a moderate when she clearly is not,” Missouri GOP communications director Jonathon Prouty told TPM. “We have always worked to hold McCaskill accountable, and we will not allow her to get away with distorting her record of rubber-stamping Barack Obama’s agenda.”
McCaskill’s ad says she will work to protect Medicare because “her mom’s on Medicare.” It also says she is “never afraid to stand up to anyone — including the president.”
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