Controversial Republican representative Todd Akin has angered his constituents and politicos alike by saying that he's "totally in" the race for Missouri senate, and will not drop his bid. Despite calls to drop out from both sides of the aisle, Akin claims that he is receiving widespread encouragement from others to stay in the race. Akin said Missouri voters have told him this: "'We've already voted. The party bosses want to put anyone else in. Don't you give up; you stay in there and you fight." Akin added, "That's what I'm getting all over the state. …I'm very encouraged," saying his campaign is going "incredibly well."
As the September 25 deadline looms, Akin believes that once it passes, more money will pour into his race to defeat Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, claiming the race will be neck and neck. Akin created a national controversy last month when he said that "legitimate rape" rarely leads to pregnancies after he was asking about his opposition to abortions in the case of rape. He subsequently apologized for his remarks and said he misspoke. GOP and politicos fear that Akin is staying in only to cost the Republican party control of the Senate. He has until September 25 to get a court-ordered petition to end his candidacy, a process he would probably have to start soon in order to successfully get off the ballot.
Akin said he's in the race, trying to put to rest speculation that he may drop out. "I'm not getting out," he said. "I'm making that very clear. …I've tried to say it about five times."
