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U.S. Rep. Todd Akin stood firm against mounting GOP pressure for him to quit Missouri's Senate race on Monday afternoon, tweeting: "I am in this race to win." A telephone poll conducted on Monday by North Carolina-based Public Policy Polling showed Akin still leading incumbent U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill by one-point, 44 to 43 percent, despite the growing controversy over his remarks that women can somehow avoid pregnancy after forced sex. PPP said it would release more details on the poll later this evening. The Democrat-affiliated firm said it shows little change from its previous poll before the controversy, which...

Withdrawal of candidacy, deadline for, how made. 115.359. 1. Any person who has filed a declaration of candidacy for nomination and who wishes to withdraw as a candidate shall, not later than the eleventh Tuesday prior to the primary election, file a written, sworn statement of withdrawal in the office of the official who accepted such candidate's declaration of candidacy. Any person nominated for an office who wishes to withdraw as a candidate shall, not later than the eleventh Tuesday prior to the general election, file a written, sworn statement of withdrawal in the office of the official who accepted...

Via BuzzFeed, it’s important that people like Hannity, Coulter, and the boss emeritus are leaning on this guy too, not just Romney and Reince Priebus. Without pressure from all-stars on the right, he can dig in and turn it into a “weak-ass establishment RINOs are selling me out to the Democrats” populist attack on D.C. Republicans. That might be enough to rally grassroots conservatives to his side and keep him in the race, but not enough to prevent him from losing to McCaskill and, just maybe, dragging the ticket down with him. How lucky do you feel? Want to bet...

Consternation abounds and much political hay is being made about an offhand phrase used by Senate candidate and current Congressman, Todd Akin, where he uttered the words, “legitimate rape”. In an interview on St. Louis’s Fox station, Akin was answering a question about allowing abortions in the case of rape. He said, “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” In an all too common case of misapplied grammar, the left went apoplectic as though Akin were “legitimizing” or justifying rape under any circumstance. Such a conclusion is patently ridiculous....

Pressure mounted on Rep.Todd Akin to quit his Missouri Senate race today despite his repeated refusals to step down over his incendiary comments about rape. Earlier in the day, moderate Republicans campaigning in bitterly contested battle ground states called on Akin to exit the race. By late in the afternoon, conservative elements of the party, including an influential super PAC and the Tea Party Express called on him to terminate his race for the good of the party. Tea Party Express Chairman Amy Kremer said Akin's remarks that women rarely became pregnant from "legitimate rape" were "unfortunate and inappropriate" and...

I won’t hate Todd Akin officially unless he refuses to withdraw from the Missouri Senate race. If he does withdraw, honorably sacrificing his personal interests to save the country, it will be time for all good men to rally around Akin as an American patriot. Akin was one of nine GOP candidates in the primary to challenge Missouri’s left-wing, tax-cheat sitting Democratic senator, Claire McCaskill. McCaskill is Chuck Schumer in a dress. Totally out of step with the good voters of Missouri, her seat should be an easy win for Republicans this year. Curiously, Democrats ferociously supported Akin in the...

Source: Rep Todd Akin to hold a prayer vigil, decide his Senate race future tonight.

Richard Grenell @RichardGrenell Breaking: Senior GOP official: Akin advisors making preparations for a withdrawal tomorrow.

Missouri Republican Todd Akin has begun moving toward ending his candidacy after his remarks on rape and abortion provoked a firestorm, a top Republican said. "Akin is taking concrete steps to withdraw by tomorrow at 5:00 p.m.," a senior Republican told BuzzFeed, adding that Akin could still change his mind. But a Republican close to Akin said his position hasn't changed: He's still in the race. Tomorrow afternoon is an important deadline: If he files papers to end his candidacy in Jefferson City tomorrow he can end his candidacy unilaterally; after that, he would have to file an application in...

In response to Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin's bizarre comments about abortion and rape, conservative columnist Ann Coulter is calling on Akin to resign for the good of his country and the pro-life cause: Dems spent @ $2 million on ads boosting Todd Akin in the primary, according to the NYT - nyti.ms/Rc4sbh Pls withdraw @ToddAkin!we will rally around Akin as GOP hero if he withdraws for the good of the country. Roe is at stake!

Akin said he has no plans to withdraw.“I don’t know that I’m the only person in public office who’s suffered from foot-in-mouth disease here, and this was a very, very serious error. On the other hand, there are so many good people in Missouri who nominated me, and they understood my heart,” Akin said.... Akin said no Republicans have called him and asked him to withdraw from the race.“No one has called me and said, ‘Todd, I think you should drop out,’” Akin said. “No one has said that. But I gather people are saying that in the media, but they didn’t specifically call...

Missouri Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin's advisers are making preparations to withdraw from the race Tuesday, GOP operative Richard Grenell and RedState.com editor Erick Erickson report. Grenell cited "GOP sources" in his tweet announcing the withdrawal, which has yet to be confirmed by Akin. Akin has been under fire since saying women have biological defenses to fend off pregnancy after a "legitimate rape."

Breaking: Senior GOP official: Akin advisors making preparations for a withdrawal tomorrow.

Hearing this from several sources.

An NRSC source just confirmed to me what various outlets have been reporting: if Todd Akin remains the senate candidate, NRSC will invest no financial resources into the Missouri senate race. Previously, NRSC had planned to spend $5 million. And Crossroads has already taken some TV ads off the air, reports Politico. If Akin does remain in the race, he’s going to be relying, it appears, virtually exclusively on whatever his campaign raises, without any financial help from outside groups.

Just asking? McCaskill still isn't liked. If Akin doesn't step down, have a conservative rally the electorate to marginalize him.

Ron Johnson . . . By Kathryn Jean Lopez August 20, 2012 12:26 P.M . . . calls for Akin to step aside after his controversial comments. Akin will be on Mike Huckabee’s radio show today.

U.S. Senator John Cornyn, Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, today made the following statement regarding Congressman Todd Akin: “Congressman Akin’s statements were wrong, offensive, and indefensible. I recognize that this is a difficult time for him, but over the next twenty-four hours, Congressman Akin should carefully consider what is best for him, his family, the Republican Party, and the values that he cares about and has fought for throughout his career in public service.” Not too hard to read between those lines, huh? Akin hasn’t left yet; if Cornyn were completely behind that stance, he wouldn’t be calling...

U.S. Rep. Todd Akin apologized on Mike Huckabee's radio show today for comments he made about rape, and said he will remain in Missouri's U.S. Senate race. "I'm not a quitter," Akin said. "We all make mistakes," Akin said, disowning his previous comments. "The many people who supported me know that when you make a mistake what you need to do is say you're sorry."  Akin said no party leaders have called him and asked for him to drop out. "This was a very very serious error," Akin said. 

As a husband and father of two young women, I found Todd Akin’s comments about women and rape outrageous, inappropriate and wrong. 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.