Changes

Akin won the August 7, 2012 Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat in a three-way field.<ref name=wsj2>{{cite news|title=Todd Akin's Sinking Ship|work=Wall Street Journal|page=A12|date=August 21, 2012}}</ref> The [[Club for Growth]] and the [[U.S. Chamber of Commerce]] backed John Brunner in the primary, while [[Sarah Palin]] supported former state official Sarah Steelman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Akin case tests power of GOP's heirarchy|author=Paul Kane and Ed O'Keefe|work=Washington Post|page=A4|date=August 22, 2012}}</ref>  In an April primary debate, Akin said that federally guaranteed student loans were a "Stage 3 cancer of socialism."<ref name=wp910>{{cite news|title=With Senate at stake, GOP awaits Akin's next move|author=Rosalind S. Helderman and Jason Horowitz|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/with-senate-at-stake-gop-waits-on-akins-next-move-mccaskill-goes-on-offense/2012/09/09/584d77bc-f8ef-11e1-8398-0327ab83ab91_story.html|work=Washington Post|page=A1|date=September 10, 2012}}</ref>

Akin won the August 7, 2012 Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat in a three-way field.<ref name=wsj2>{{cite news|title=Todd Akin's Sinking Ship|work=Wall Street Journal|page=A12|date=August 21, 2012}}</ref> The [[Club for Growth]] and the [[U.S. Chamber of Commerce]] backed John Brunner in the primary, while [[Sarah Palin]] supported former state official Sarah Steelman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Akin case tests power of GOP's heirarchy|author=Paul Kane and Ed O'Keefe|work=Washington Post|page=A4|date=August 22, 2012}}</ref>  In an April primary debate, Akin said that federally guaranteed student loans were a "Stage 3 cancer of socialism."<ref name=wp910>{{cite news|title=With Senate at stake, GOP awaits Akin's next move|author=Rosalind S. Helderman and Jason Horowitz|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/with-senate-at-stake-gop-waits-on-akins-next-move-mccaskill-goes-on-offense/2012/09/09/584d77bc-f8ef-11e1-8398-0327ab83ab91_story.html|work=Washington Post|page=A1|date=September 10, 2012}}</ref>

Akin is running against the Democratic incumbent [[Claire McCaskill]] in the general election.  Two weeks after his primary victory, Akin defended his principled [[pro-life]] position by indicating his opposition to abortion for pregnancy supposedly due to rape. A media firestorm ensued (see below), perhaps initiated by [[RINO]]s, but [[conservatives]] defended Akin's principled remarks.  For example, Connie Mackey of the [[Family Research Council]] called the discussion of Akin's remarks "another case of 'gotcha politics' against a conservative leader."<ref name=wsj/> On August 22, Akin met with leaders of the [[Council for National Policy]] in Tampa, Florida, who indicated their unwavering support for his campaign.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80027.html|title=Todd Akin in Tampa with top social conservatives|date=August 22, 2012|work=Politico|first=Kate|last=Nocera|accessdate=August 23, 2012}}</ref> On August 24, 2012, Akin held a press conference to announce, "We are going to be here through the November election and we are going to be here to win,” he said. Akin added, “there may be some negotiations but they don’t include me.”<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/08/24/todd-akin-we-are-going-to-be-here-through-the-november-election/|title=Todd Akin: ‘We are going to be here through the November election’|work=Washington Post|date=August 24, 2012|first=Sean|last=Sullivan|accessdate=August 25, 2012}}</ref> At the Missouri delegation breakfast at the Republican National Convention, many delegates voiced support for Akin's candidacy.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80203.html?hp=t3_3|title=Missouri delegates angry at Mitt Romney over Todd Akin|first=Manu|last=Raju|date=August 27, 2012|accessdate=September 2, 2012|work=Politico}}</ref>

Akin ran against the Democratic incumbent [[Claire McCaskill]] in the general election.  Two weeks after his primary victory, Akin defended his principled [[pro-life]] position by indicating his opposition to abortion for pregnancy supposedly due to rape. A media firestorm ensued (see below), perhaps initiated by [[RINO]]s, but true [[conservatives]] defended Akin's principled remarks.  For example, Connie Mackey of the [[Family Research Council]] called the discussion of Akin's remarks "another case of 'gotcha politics' against a conservative leader."<ref name=wsj/> On August 22, Akin met with leaders of the [[Council for National Policy]] in Tampa, Florida, who indicated their unwavering support for his campaign.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80027.html|title=Todd Akin in Tampa with top social conservatives|date=August 22, 2012|work=Politico|first=Kate|last=Nocera|accessdate=August 23, 2012}}</ref> On August 24, 2012, Akin held a press conference to announce, "We are going to be here through the November election and we are going to be here to win,” he said. Akin added, “there may be some negotiations but they don’t include me.”<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/08/24/todd-akin-we-are-going-to-be-here-through-the-november-election/|title=Todd Akin: ‘We are going to be here through the November election’|work=Washington Post|date=August 24, 2012|first=Sean|last=Sullivan|accessdate=August 25, 2012}}</ref> At the Missouri delegation breakfast at the Republican National Convention, many delegates voiced support for Akin's candidacy.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80203.html?hp=t3_3|title=Missouri delegates angry at Mitt Romney over Todd Akin|first=Manu|last=Raju|date=August 27, 2012|accessdate=September 2, 2012|work=Politico}}</ref>

McCaskill is not commenting directly on Akin's abortion remarks in her campaign, but instead focuses upon Akin's remarks comparing student loans to Stage 3 cancer.<ref name=wp910/>  [[RINO Backers]] demand that Todd Akin remove his name from the ballot by September 25, 2012, even though the principled Akin has repeatedly made it clear that he is campaigning to win, and is likely to better on [[Election Day]] than many of the RINOs will.<ref name=wp910/>

McCaskill, for a time, did not comment directly on Akin's abortion remarks in her campaign, but instead focused upon Akin's remarks comparing student loans to Stage 3 cancer.<ref name=wp910/>  [[RINO Backers]] demanded that Todd Akin remove his name from the ballot by September 25, 2012, while the principled Akin repeatedly made it clear that he was campaigning to win, and was projected to do better on [[Election Day]] than many of the RINOs would.<ref name=wp910/>

By September 23, as the polls nationwide showed the Senate races tightening and Akin showed no sign of giving up the fight, Newt Gingrich urged the party to let him back into the fold and at least one campaign finance group started to reconsider the wisdom of leaving Akin to fight alone. <ref>http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/09/24/2703769/conservative-fund-considers-backing.html</ref> On Wednesday 26th, Rick Santorum and Jim DeMint publicly endorsed Akin for Senate, in a joint statement saying "we cannot afford six more years of Senator McCaskill." <ref>http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/09/santorum-demint-back-akin-136707.html</ref> On Friday 28th September, Akin confirmed that he had been arrested at an anti-abortion protest at a clinic some 25 years ago. <ref>http://www.politico.com/blogs/on-congress/2012/09/akin-speaks-about-old-arrest-at-abortion-clinic-136954.html</ref> By then, former Missouri governor [[Kit Bond]] had endorsed Akin for Senate, and RNC chairman [[Reince Priebus]] had backed off on his earlier vows not to provide a penny to Akin. <ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57522102/kit-bond-to-endorse-akin-priebus-hints-at-rnc-support/</ref>

By September 23, as the polls nationwide showed the Senate races tightening and Akin showed no sign of giving up the fight, Newt Gingrich urged the party to let him back into the fold and at least one campaign finance group started to reconsider the wisdom of leaving Akin to fight alone. <ref>http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/09/24/2703769/conservative-fund-considers-backing.html</ref> On Wednesday 26th, Rick Santorum and Jim DeMint publicly endorsed Akin for Senate, in a joint statement saying "we cannot afford six more years of Senator McCaskill." <ref>http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/09/santorum-demint-back-akin-136707.html</ref> On Friday 28th September, Akin confirmed that he had been arrested at an anti-abortion protest at a clinic some 25 years ago. <ref>http://www.politico.com/blogs/on-congress/2012/09/akin-speaks-about-old-arrest-at-abortion-clinic-136954.html</ref> By then, former Missouri governor [[Kit Bond]] had endorsed Akin for Senate, and RNC chairman [[Reince Priebus]] had backed off on his earlier vows not to provide a penny to Akin. <ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57522102/kit-bond-to-endorse-akin-priebus-hints-at-rnc-support/</ref>

Even while ostracised by the party, Akin drew over $600,000 in small donations<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/26/us/politics/todd-akin-counts-on-support-of-home-schoolers.html?ref=politics</ref>.

Even while ostracised by the party, Akin drew over $600,000 in small donations<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/26/us/politics/todd-akin-counts-on-support-of-home-schoolers.html?ref=politics</ref>.

The Republican Party was not united in this reconciliation, however. On September 30 Governor [[Chris Christie]] of New Jersey told ABC's ''This Week'' emphatically that he opposed the endorsement of Akin. A recent Rasmussen poll had shown Senator McCaskill leading Akin by 49 to 43 points among likely voters.<ref>http://www.humanevents.com/2012/10/01/christie-says-gop-should-not-support-missouris-akin/</ref>

The Republican Party was not united in this reconciliation, however. On September 30 Governor [[Chris Christie]] of New Jersey told ABC's ''This Week'' emphatically that he opposed the endorsement of Akin. A recent Rasmussen poll had shown Senator McCaskill leading Akin by 49 to 43 points among likely voters.<ref>http://www.humanevents.com/2012/10/01/christie-says-gop-should-not-support-missouris-akin/</ref>  Closer to election day, McCaskill ran radio and television spots featuring clips from [[Rino Backers]] criticizing Akin. <ref>http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/nick-pistor/claire-mccaskill-features-mitt-romney-in-new-ad/article_5c4a5e19-82b8-5d3d-b9b3-6d740bcc3e57.html</ref>  

== Comments on rape and pregnancy ==

== Comments on rape and pregnancy ==