Will be updated.
Updated 2:46 p.m.
Todd Akin may be losing a chunk of funding, to the tune of $5 million.
A National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee official tells The Associated Press that the group's head, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, called Rep. Todd Akin on Monday. The official says that Cornyn told Akin that $5 million in advertising the committee had set aside for the Missouri race would be spent elsewhere.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because the conversation was private.
Original Story Published 1:09 p.m. Aug. 20:
One day after making comments in an interview that's gained national attention, Missouri Congressman Todd Akin says he's staying in the race, even as some call for his withdrawal.
The U.S. Senate candidate was asked in an interview Sunday on Fox 2’s Jaco Report if he would support abortions for women who have been raped. Akin said a woman’s body “has ways” to prevent pregnancy during what he called a “legitimate rape.”
Dave Robertson, a political science professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, says it’s too early to tell what political consequences Akin will endure. But Robertson says Akin has probably taken away any advantage he had over his Democratic opponent Claire McCaskill coming out of the primaries.
“This is going to affect a number of groups that might have been less inclined to come out perhaps, or a little bit indifferent between the two candidates at this point in the race,” said Roberson. “People like single women, young people, married couples in suburbs.”
Speculation continues over the future of Missouri Congressman Todd Akin’s campaign. Some have called for Akin to withdraw from the ticket. But Robertson says he doubts Akin will do that.
“I don’t know why he would do that if he just fought his way through the primary and believes in his point-of-view,” said Robertson. “He is a tea party person and most tea party people are going to continue to support him.”
In a radio interview with Mike Huckabee today, Akin apologized for his comments but said he "is not a quitter" and "I have not yet begun to fight." Huckabee has publicly endorsed Akin.
Akin also told Huckabee that no Republicans had contacted him personally to ask him to drop out of the race.
The deadline to withdraw from the ticket is Tuesday.
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