* Akin says he can win Senate race despite controversy
* “Uncomfortable” with Republican leaders picking candidate
* Women can get pregnant from rape, Akin concedes
WASHINGTON, Aug 22 (Reuters) – Republican U.S.
Representative Todd Akin on Wednesday dismissed calls from party
leaders that he drop out of the Missouri Senate race after his
controversial remarks on abortion and rape, saying party
officials should not overrule voters.
Akin has been under fire since he said on Sunday that it was
extremely rare for rape victims to get pregnant. He backtracked
on that position in appearances on several morning TV programs
on Wednesday, saying he was wrong to say the female body could
shut down reproduction when raped.
“The people of Missouri chose me, and I don’t believe it’s
right for party bosses to decide to override those voters,” Akin
said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” program.
“It makes me uncomfortable to think that the party bosses
are going to dictate who runs, as opposed to the election
process,” he added.
But when pressed, Akin did not rule out stepping down later.
“I’m never going to say everything that could possibly happen. I
don’t know the future,” he told ABC.
The backlash over Akin’s comments has dominated the
presidential campaign in recent days, just as Republicans
prepare for their national convention in Tampa, Florida, next
week. It has distracted attention from Republican efforts to
focus on Democratic President Barack Obama’s handling of the
sluggish economy and high unemployment.
Akin won the primary race against several other Republicans
earlier this month to challenge Democratic Senator Claire
McCaskill in the Nov. 6 election. Under Missouri election law,
Akin had until Tuesday to get his name off the ballot without
having to seek a court order.
Democrats control the Senate and Republicans need to pick up
four seats to take over the chamber. Prior to the Akin
controversy, Republicans considered McCaskill one of the most
vulnerable Democratic Senate incumbents.
“I’ve made the decision to stay in because I believe we can
win this race,” he told ABC. “I’m planning to win it.”
A number of Republican leaders, including presidential
candidate Mitt Romney, have called on the congressman to quit
the race after he said in an interview Sunday that it was
extremely rare for women to get pregnant from “legitimate rape.”
On NBC’s “Today” program, Akin said he was not staying in
the race for personal gain.
“It’s about trying to do the right thing and stand on
principle,” he said.
“This is not about me. This is not about my ego. But it is
about the voters of the state of Missouri. They have chose me
because of principles I stand on … I believe they stand with
me on a whole host of issues.”
On both television shows said he was wrong about the medical
facts about rape.
On Sunday, he said pregnancy from rape was “really rare”
because: “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to
try to shut that whole thing down.” That notion has been widely
rejected by medical experts.
“That’s not true. I was misinformed,” he told NBC.
“But I’m not apologizing for the fact that I am pro-life and
that I also believe that it’s important to defend the helpless
and the unborn,” Akin said on ABC.
