Read #62. Akin had been a successful, conservative, multi-term representative in the US House. He was not a fly-by-night.
The sad thing in all this is that at a time we need solid conservative voices in the House, we have lost one in Akin. (I don’t think he also ran for his House seat at the same time. I’m not even sure that’s possible. I know that Ryan ran for his while running for VP, but I think that makes it different levels....state/national versus state/state.)
He was not fly by night, but he was not this great virginal tea party outsider either, as your six term statement shows. He did portray the idea of an outsider fighting big mean ole washington, and yet he’s part of Washington.
That dishonesty is one of the reasons I did not like him.
As I understand it, the district is solidly Republican. Not sure what “successful” means in congress, as he’s just kind of held onto a safe seat.