(CNN) – Sen. Scott Brown, the Massachusetts Republican in a tight battle for re-election, said Monday that Rep. Todd Akin ought to step aside in his bid for U.S. Senate in Missouri after Akin claimed "legitimate rape" rarely results in pregnancy. Sen. Ron Johnson also called on Akin to resign from the GOP nomination.
"As a husband and father of two young women, I found Todd Akin's comments about women and rape outrageous, inappropriate and wrong," Brown wrote in a statement released by his campaign. "There is no place in our public discourse for this type of offensive thinking. Not only should he apologize, but I believe Rep. Akin's statement was so far out of bounds that he should resign the nomination for US Senate in Missouri."
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Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who was elected in 2010, also called on Akin to step aside.
Todd Akin's statements are reprehensible and inexcusable. He should step aside today for the good of the nation.
—
Ron Johnson (@Ron4Senate) August 20, 2012Akin won his spot on November's ballot earlier this August, and is slated to face Democratic incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill in November.
Prior to this controversy, the top non-partisan political handicappers had rated the Missouri race a "toss up." Republicans consider McCaskill's seat a prime take-over target as they try to reclaim control of the Senate. Democrats currently have a 53 to 47 advantage in the chamber, but are defending 23 (21 Democrats and two independents who caucus with the party) of the 33 seats up for grabs in November.
Brown is facing Elizabeth Warren, a consumer advocate and former adviser to President Barack Obama, in a fierce battle for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts. Brown is a first-term Republican who won his seat in a January 2010 election to replace the late Sen. Ted Kennedy.
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From CNN Politics
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Just remember, Ryan supported a bill to limit the definition of rape along with this guy Akin. To say this sttitude is limited within the GOP is disingenuous. Why any woman would now vote for any GOP person in the country is beyond me.
Seeing that the republican party overwhelmingly have denounced this man and have asked him to resign, Akin does not represent the republican party. he is not a republican. So please don't link him to the republicans any more than linking Anthony Weiner's online sexual exploits with teenage girls with democrats.
Why is this such a surprise? What Akin says is just a slight matter of degree different from what Rick Santorum was saying all during the campaign for the nomination. By allowing the voices of these repulsive creeps, and the talk-show hosts like Limbaugh and Beck, to speak so loudly for their so-called "base", the GOP risks being tarred as the party of hate. This is a bad thing for the whole country. And BTW I'm a Missouri voter - can't wait to vote against Akin.
Don't give me this sanctity of life BULL from republicans. I'll believe that when they stop executing prisoners. Their War On Women is about rolling back womens rights, next they will go after their right to vote! Don't think so, look at what they are do'ing to minorities and the poor with voter id laws, early voting restrictions, and voter roll purges!!
No Republican deserves your vote, NONE!
He should resign. Mispeak or not his attitude is archaic at best. No insult intended to Neanderthals .
In Politics a slip of the lip can sink political ships!
I have to commend the Republicans who are calling for this guy to resign, as he should. A comment like this in the private sector would most likely get you fired for creating a hostile work environment; it should be no different in any other environment. Oh, and Tony, I checked Limbaugh's website, I didn't see one peep about this. Sad that he is so biased, yet still so popular....
Dan J
Seeing that the republican party overwhelmingly have denounced this man and have asked him to resign, Akin does not represent the republican party. he is not a republican.
Wrong.
Willard Romney has not asked him to resign. He "disagreed" with his position. Much like Willard couldn't dress down fat boy Limp-baugh, he can't take a harsh stand against Achin'. Well we know why: his running mate shares the same backwards views as Achin' as his spent more time trying to craft anti-choice legislation that he has trying to get a jobs bill passed. Easy to research via the THOMAS site.
Also preventing Willard from taking a stand: he doesn't want to argue against himself, you see Willard was for choice before he was against it since he's running for office for Pete's sake. Achin' is far from the only GOTP member to espouse these views. You can expect to see more GOTPers getting called out via past statements in commercials soon.
Finally, Tony Perkins has been calling people like Brown to get some backbone and support Achin'. The GOTP platform is going to sink or swim with the social conservative base. I think we can all see that this election will be "sink" for GOTP and their regressive thinking. Personally, I couldn't be happier.
Akin is a fool. Buh-Bye!!
Legitimate rape? Is this guy still running for office? If he is from your district then shame on you for ever putting in office in the first place.
akin gave the exact stance of the gop, it was an enlightment for american women and citzens period, we elect these sobs and they say and do what they want well time out, who is brown to ask for his head 85% of the gop need to step aside
Weiner was heavly supported by his colleagues in Washingon (-that's DC Biden). Weiner was not asked to step down as he lied that some hacked his account. Weiner would have won re-election too because that's how much Dems are sheeps.
Lets not forget Bwarney Franks who got a slap on the wrist fr his Dems colleagues for doing exactly what Mark Foley did. Unlike the Dems Republicans purge their bad guys.
I see no reason for Akin to step aside. He's only expressing the GOT's heartfelt views of women in this country. Pathetic!
Another day or three when the self-destructive, too-stupid-to-win GOP has to focus on an issue that hurts it badly with uncommitted voters rather than the issues which help it.
If they weren't hurting themselves so badly, we would need to raise more $$ to campaign against them, but they are making it too easy.
Isn't that an oxymoron? – Legitimate rape? There is nothing legitimate about rape. Secondly, there is nothing in a woman's body that tells her not to get pregnant when she's been raped. His entire discussion is a nefarious untruth. And he knows it. One should better question the "legitimacy" for his bid for election. What a moron!
Is this why the Congress is locked and cannot get anything done? If this man is an example of our Government, the United States has already gone over the cliff.
Akin should step out of the race and into a higher form of human being. What a maroon!
Let's vote all right wing GOP OUT!
How typical--i can all imagine them saying these things at their little
happy hour parties–but when it LOOKS BAD. Oh gasp! Throw the
guy under the bus and run! What Biden said (and it was taken out of context)
does not in any way compare to this. And the GOP knows they have twisted and turned
Biden's words to fit their mean spirited agenda! Akin is far far worse! you know what-
let the idiot run! Let him run after this! Don't let him resign–let this be a part of his campaign.
He should not have the benefit of saying such an awful thing and then packing up and going
home. Make him run and if his state elects them let them look like an idiot red state. I can see Brown's
point–but Brown has a stake in this too-not only is the tea party ignorant they are running all the
moderates out of the repub party and that's a real shame-NO one can work with these clowns.
I say let Akin run-with egg all over his face. If he wins then his state can look ignorant.
udidn'tbuildthat, republicans hardly purge their bad guys. Newt was a frontrunner for a while. Why can't republicans accept their nutjobs as such and not let them get elected in the 1st place? You guys put these whackjobs in office. NOw live with them.
Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their Party.
By leaving it.
You don't give the opposition that kind of ammo for its War-on-Women meme, and not expect there is going to be some serious fallout. Time to throw yourself on your sword.
See how fast they turn on their own isn't it wonderful?
Don't let the libs force you to quit. you are right.
Any father, mother, daughter, son, brother,or sister that would vote for this man is cold hearted. Ask a rape victim. If you are raped and do not want the unwanted pregancy then who has the right to tell you what you can and can't do. What about the child who is born and a reminder of such a violent crime. This is just another blunder of a Repulican speaking his beliefs and then recanting when the heat gets to hot. Once elected, do really think that he won't follow through on what he stands for.
"Unlike the Dems Republicans purge their bad guys."
Vitter, Enisgn, Sanford, etc. Stop it with trying to draw a party line on these issues. Idiots are idiots and should be judged on the basis of their idiot acts/statements...and they do come in different shapes and sizes and levels of idiocy. Vitter is a good example: what does his texting with wh-res from the floor of Conrgess say about HIS values, morals and respect for women? And yet, the GOP/Teatrolls voters decided to elect him again...there was no "purging" of him by the GOP establishment.
Rep Atkin won't drop out of the race because he is only saying what many of his conservative evangelical extremists believe.