The calls for Republican Rep. Todd Akin to remove himself from his race against Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, following incendiary comments he made about rape and abortion, reached a fever pitch with the additional voices of Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell and Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus. “We do not believe it serves the national interest for Congressman Todd Akin to stay in this race,” said Sen. Roy Blunt and former senators John Danforth, Christopher Bond, John Ashcroft and Jim Talent in a statement. “The issues at stake are too big, and this election is simply too important. The right decision is to step aside.” Akin has dug his heels in, releasing a campaign ad that apologized for using the “wrong words in the wrong way” and vowing to stay in the race. In an interview Sunday, Akin—while defending his position that abortion should not be allowed in cases of rape—said that the human body prevents pregnancy during rape. Should Akin not withdraw by 6pm EST on Tuesday, Missouri law would require that he obtain a court order to remove himself from the ticket …
