Changes

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 web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80027.html|title=Todd Akin in Tampa with top social conservatives|date=August 22, 2012|publisher=Politico|author=Kate Nocera|accessdate=August 23, 2012}}</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 web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80027.html|title=Todd Akin in Tampa with top social conservatives|date=August 22, 2012|publisher=Politico|author=Kate 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 web|url=https://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’|publisher=''[[The Washington Post]]''|date=August 24, 2012|author=Sean 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 web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80203.html?hp=t3_3|title=Missouri delegates angry at Mitt Romney over Todd Akin|author=Manu Raju|date=August 27, 2012|accessdate=September 2, 2012|publisher=''[[Politico]]''}}</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 web|url=https://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’|publisher=''[[The Washington Post]]''|date=August 24, 2012|author=Sean 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 web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80203.html?hp=t3_3|title=Missouri delegates angry at Mitt Romney over Todd Akin|author=Manu Raju|date=August 27, 2012|accessdate=September 2, 2012|publisher=''[[Politico]]''}}</ref>

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/>

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]] of [[Pennsylvania]] and [[Jim DeMint]] of [[South Carolina]] endorsed Akin for Senate in a joint statement: "We cannot afford six more years of Senator McCaskill."<ref>https://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/09/santorum-demint-back-akin-136707.html</ref> On Friday 28 September, Akin confirmed that he had been arrested at an anti-abortion protest at a clinic some twenty-five years ago.<ref>https://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>https://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]] of [[Pennsylvania]] and [[Jim DeMint]] of [[South Carolina]] endorsed Akin for Senate in a joint statement: "We cannot afford six more years of Senator McCaskill."<ref>https://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/09/santorum-demint-back-akin-136707.html</ref> On Friday 28 September, Akin confirmed that he had been arrested at an anti-abortion protest at a clinic some twenty-five years ago.<ref>https://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>https://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57522102/kit-bond-to-endorse-akin-priebus-hints-at-rnc-support/</ref>