Community Corner

Santorum, Blunt Start Rallying Around Todd Akin's Senate Campaign

Missouri's Republican U.S. Senate nominee picks up support from Rick Santorum and a Tea Party favorite in the Senate.

He says he's in it to win it.

With an official deadline having passed Tuesday night for candidates on the November ballot to petition via a court order for removal, U.S. Rep. Todd Akin's U.S. Senate bid is moving forward.

Akin, the Widwood Republican who had been cast out by party leaders at the national level as well as five current or former Missouri U.S. Senators who called for him to drop out of the race following his controversial remarks about rape and pregnancy last month, has recouped some of that support.

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Tuesday night, Politico reported the following statement from U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, one of the five who urged Akin to get out of the race:

"Congressman Akin and I don’t agree on everything, but he and I agree the Senate majority must change. From Governor Romney to the county courthouse, I'll be working for the Republican ticket in Missouri, and that includes Todd Akin."

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Wednesday, former Pennsylvania Senator and 2012 Presidential candidate Rick Santorum announced that he, along with South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint were backing Akin's campaign.

Another former Presidential hopeful, Newt Gingrich, was in Kirkwood Monday for an Akin fundraiser, and , would ultimately get behind Akin's candidacy next month rather than help Democrat Claire McCaskill get re-elected.

A message seeking comment from the Romney campaign was left Wednesday morning. The Republican National Committee has repeatedly said it would not support an Akin bid, even if he and McCaskill were tied.

Meanwhile, McCaskill has launched her first campaign television advertisement mentioning the "legitimate rape" comments.


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