There?s a new trend sweeping the nation?s top conservative leaders: line up behind embattled Missouri Senate nominee Todd Akin (R), and do it fast. This is a far cry from the immediate aftermath of Akin?s ?legitimate rape? comments, when his friends were few and far between.
Now that the final deadline for Akin to heed the advice of his own party?s leaders and withdraw from the ballot has passed, rushing to Akin?s side is the new way for the Republican?s insurgent leaders to show they?re willing to take on the establishment.
On Wednesday, Rick Santorum and Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), two men who have made their names recently by pushing on their party to go right, issued a joint statement pledging fidelity to Akin in the final stretch toward the election.
?Todd Akin is a principled conservative who is committed to winning and fighting for freedom in the U.S. Senate,? the pair said. ?Todd will work to stop reckless spending, stop the out of control debt, repeal the government takeover of healthcare, support our military and defend life at every stage.?
Santorum and DeMint said what other conservatives are saying this week: Defeating Sen. Claire McCaskill (D), which Republicans said was the key to winning a majority this year before Akin imploded, is reason enough to stand with Akin.
?Simply put, we cannot afford six more years of Senator McCaskill,? the pair said.
The joint Santorum and DeMint endorsement could bring with it the cash Akin needs, after being dropped by the national party, to battle McCaskill?s far superior war chest. Akin already dropped his opposition to an earmark ban as part of talks with DeMint?s PAC to secure his endorsement. Now it looks like he can rely on a cash infusion from Santorum?s Patriot Voices PAC as well.
The pair are only the latest to publicly step up for Akin. On Monday, Newt Gingrich hosted a fundraiser for Akin in Missouri and went on the stump with him. The Missouri Republican Party affirmed its support for Akin Tuesday and Akin has continued to enjoy the support of evangelical Christian conservatives at the Family Research Council and similar groups.
Neither DeMint, Gingrich nor Santorum were among those who called on Akin to drop out in the first place. But there are signs that even more mainstream Republicans are coming home to Akin now that he?s made it clear he intends to stay in the race until the end. Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt announced support, albeit tepid, for Akin Tuesday night, after the deadline to withdraw had expired. Blunt had called for Akin to get out of the race in August.
Akin and I ?don?t agree on everything, but he and I agree the Senate majority must change,? Blunt said in a statement Tuesday. ?I?ll be working for the Republican ticket in Missouri, and that includes Todd Akin.?
NRSC chair John Cornyn has said his group has made its choice and will remain clear of Akin for the duration of the campaign.
?We?re done,? he told The Hill last week. The NRSC didn?t respond to a request for comment from TPM on Akin?s new supporters.
Since Aug. 19 when he first made the ?legitimate rape? comments that led Akin to public apologies and national notoriety, Akin?s supporters have predicted that Republicans will get behind their nominee in Missouri once the election draws close. There are signs now that they were right.
Democrats aren?t surprised.
?No one should?ve been fooled by the party?s faux outrage and their ensuing change of course because as the Republican establishment is making clear today, the Akin backlash was never about principle,? said Shripal Shah, spokesperson for the DSCC, ?it was purely about politics.?
Source: http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/09/todd-akin-rick-santorum-jim-demint-newt-gingrich.php
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