Todd Akin told reporters at a late Friday press conference in St. Louis the same thing he’s been telling them since his “legitimate rape” comment blew up the Missouri Senate race: He’s in it to win it.
The press conference was announced late Friday afternoon, and led to speculation that Akin may finally be buckling under pressure from the GOP establishment that he leave the race. But in the brief appearance before reporters, Akin said he remained unmoved by such calls, and was dedicated to unseating Sen. Claire McCaskill in November.
“We’re going to be here though the November election, and we’re going to be here to win,” Akin said. On the continued calls from within his own party to make way for a new candidate, Akin said: “This is an election, not a selection.”
The McCaskill campaign, which has been criticizing Republicans for trying to get a do-over on their Aug. 7 primary after Akin did serious damage to his chances with his suggestion that women have biology that prevents pregnancy in the case of forcible rape, told TPM that the presser showed Republicans are more than likely stuck with their nominee.
“Republicans in Missouri voted to have Todd Akin as their nominee. Nothing about that has changed,” McCaskill spokesperson Caitlin Legacki said. “The choice between Todd Akin and Claire is stark, and Missouri voters will get to decide who will be on their side in the U.S. Senate.”
The NRSC, which has worked hard to get Akin to change his mind and quit, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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