Missouri Farm Bureau members are reconsidering their endorsement of Republican Todd Akin for U.S. Senate
The Bureau’s FARM-PAC met earlier this month and endorsed Akin after hearing presentations from both he and Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill. Chris Fennewald, an editor for Missouri Farm Bureau publications, says the Bureau’s county leaders were polled this week, and the majority said that their endorsement of Akin should be reconsidered.
Akin has come under fire for saying that a woman’s body can shut down and prevent pregnancy in cases of “legitimate rape.” Akin has since apologized for the comment. He has refused calls from numerous GOP leaders to withdraw from the U.S. Senate race.
Fennewald says FARM-PAC chairmen are working on setting up a process for officially reconsidering their endorsement of Akin.
“No details have been finalized on this process,” Fennewald said. “This is something new for us – I don’t think it’s ever been done before, so we’re gonna take it deliberately and make sure we do it the right way.”
If Akin’s endorsement is vacated, Fennewald says it would be up to FARM-PAC to decide if they would endorse someone else for U.S. Senate or make no endorsement. Officials with the Akin campaign have so far not responded to requests for a comment.
Rove comments spark an Akin response
Meantime, another controversy involving Akin and a prominent Republican has developed. Bloomberg Businessweek's website reported Friday that GOP activist Karl Rove made this comment at a Republican donors' breakfast in Tampa: "We should sink Todd Akin. If he's found mysteriously murdered, don't look for my whereabouts!"
Rep. Akin's office reacted angrily to the quote, saying it is deeply disturbing given that the FBI has been investigating threats against Akin since his rape comments.
Read Jo Mannies story about the Rove comments in the St. Louis Beacon here.
