Politics | Todd Akin Todd Akin: I'm Staying in Race Missouri Senate candidate tells Mike Huckabee he won't quit By Newser Editors and Wire Services Posted Aug 21, 2012 12:40 PM CDT Copied Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., announcing his candidacy for U.S. Senate, in Creve Coeur, Mo., in May. (Jeff Roberson) "Legitimate rape" brouhaha or no, Rep. Todd Akin said again today that he's staying in Missouri's Senate race. Akin has been under intense pressure from fellow Republicans to drop out, but he told Mike Huckabee that those pleas seemed like "a little bit of an overreaction." Akin said he hasn't done anything morally or ethically wrong, but got a "word in the wrong place." He also reaffirmed his stand as an anti-abortion lawmaker. Akin has been frantically trying to salvage his once-promising bid against incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill in a race long targeted by the GOP as crucial to regaining control of the Senate. "By taking this stand, this is going to strengthen our country," Akin said today. "It will strengthen the Republican Party." Read These Next Venezuela responds to the US seizure of an oil tanker. Hours after Michigan fired its football coach, he was in jail. Another big brand delivers an AI-driven holiday dud. One donor, 197 kids, and a terrible genetic mutation. Get breaking news in your inbox. What you need to know, as soon as we know it. Sign up Report an error