(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.
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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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Akin & Ryan – birds of a feather! We don't need/want either of them!
Good for you, Senator Brown! Unlike "Mitt-le of the Road" Romney, and others in the GOP, you have staked out a firm position on an issue other than lower taxes for the rich.
And shame on the voters who put politicians like Mr. Akin, Mr. Walsh, and other narrow-minded "American Taliban" men in office.
WTF is legitimate rape? If someone ever tried to legitimately rape anyone I know, well, hopefully the police will get them first.
Aikin's comments could have been made by the Taliban. The GOP has gotten so radicalized, and so-closed minded they don't even see that.I hope this is a wake-up call for their return to sanity.
Wow, Scott Brown said something intelligent. First time for everything. . .
Reality is that only CNN is making this an issue....Why? because it is the only thing the Dems and their media empire can focus on.....talk about double standards.......Totally ignoring the VICE PRESIDENTS slavery comment and focusing on a POTENTIAL candidate for the senate's statement.....what hogwash
@Fair is Fair
SOUTHERN HOTTIE
...and yet Mr. Brown thinks that women do not have the right nor choice to make decisions about their bodies.
Hypocrite.
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WRONG AGAIN. Scott Brown is a pro-choice Republican. You certainly have a penchant for making statements you have absolutely no clue on, don't you?
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He agrees that Roe V Wade is law and that is all. He tends favor religious exemptions and conscience clauses. That does not make him pro-choice. He straddles the fence. And, Fair, let us not begin to quantify the numerous vapid comments you've posted here, sister. You may now go back to FOX NOISE to get more talking points.
Once again a fine example that Sen Brown will say anything, throw anyone under the bus to save his hide...........
This Akin comment is so tellingly offensive on so many levels. For example, if you follow his logic (and the use of the word "legitimate"), then, what, if a woman who was raped ends up becoming pregnant, then... It sounds as though Akin would think she was "asking for it"?!!
Gawd, if this story doesn't knock him out the running, I'll be mortified for America.
What's worse about this incident, is that there are actual humans consuming our oxygen in the state of MO that really believe this garbage. Worst yet, they will vote for this POS again! Although he said later that he "misspoke", he never apologized because he truly believes this non-sense.
If it is true that a "doctor" friend of his told him this, MY GOD, we need to contact this doctor's patients and warn them immediately.
so your views on abortion for rape victims are exactly what mr. brown. you've thrown your hat into the discussion. speak up so we can hear you please. he is a disgusting human for what he said and your view on the matter of abortion for rape victims is once again exactly what?
Well, I am not shocked. What baffles me is the number of people who vote such morons who have no respect for women. Even women vote for them. And you expect them to respect you? Great, now go vote for him.
@Fair is Fair: Brown supports abortion only in cases of rape, incest or where the woman's life is endangered. That's not exactly pro-choice, which does not require meeting these requirements.
Oh give me a break. Aren't we paying him to run triathathon. Brown seems a bit desperate.
Legitimate elections rarely result in the election of real leaders.
Never thought I would agree with anything Scott Brown would say, but I do on this one.
All these pro Romney comments, have to be coming from Rep. staffers or employee,s of Fox, no way anyone with common sense would back someone who speaks out of, which side of Romneys face is he speaking from today, oh yeah, the side he's sitting on.
I think we can get passed Yoder's skinny dipping in the Sea of Galiei. Too much Uzo would do that to the best of us. But Akin's comment? Sorry GOP, you lost...again!
Why the fuss about Akin's comment?
He was merely reaffirming what GOP legislatures across the country have been pushing in the name of 'job creation.'
Perhaps elections are around the corner.
Seriously, let's home Rep Akin's comments really end up as the dumbest ones of this cycle. We couldn't bear much worse. Something tells me Sen McCaskill's prospects just improved dramatically. This could even retain the Senate for the Dems.
A republican made sense. Watch out the appocolypse must be near. More republicans should follow Brown's lead and tell this moron to scram.
It's all pretty obvious if you ask me: comments like Akins' (and so many other GOPers/Teatrolls) are born out of their deep frustrations and shame of spending their lives being completely incapable of pleasing a women. They project all that frustration and shame onto women in general and find ways to take it out on them.
*wink*
Too late!!! The GOP has spoken, and the rest of us are appalled!!!!
Oh no, Akin stays and runs against McAskill. Your supporters voted Akin in so LIVE WITH IT! If Republicans boot him from the race, they are taking votes away from the people that voted for Akin.
First of all we KNOW he's NOT going to resign so it's a wasted request like it always is in cases like this. But at least Mitt didn't say "those aren't the words I would have used" this time when questioned. Yet we have to wait to see what GOP boss Rush Limbaugh says on the subject.....it would not surprise me if he agreed with Akin.