Romney urges US lawmaker in rape row to step aside

The US lawmaker who sparked a furor with controversial comments about rape defiantly said Tuesday he will stay in his Senate race, putting him on a collision course with fellow Republican Mitt Romney, who demanded he step aside. The firestorm over congressman Todd Akin's remarks about "legitimate rape" pushed the sensitive abortion issue back into the spotlight one week before the Republican convention in Tampa, Florida, where a panel approved an anti-abortion amendment as part of the party's platform. Fearing a monumental backlash that would harm efforts by Romney to win over women voters as he challenges President Barack Obama for the White House, Republican leaders closed ranks in a flash and essentially ordered Akin to go. "Todd Akin's comments were offensive and wrong and he should very seriously consider what course would be in the best interest of our country," Romney said in a terse statement. "Today, his fellow Missourians (four former US senators) urged him to step aside, and I think he should accept their counsel and exit the Senate race." But while Akin apologized, the staunchly pro-life conservative said he wasn't going anywhere, and a Missouri deadline for Akin to quit the race passed late Tuesday without him dropping out. "I believe there is a cause here," Akin said on former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee's radio show, adding he was getting "a great deal of grass roots support." "The defense of the unborn and a deep respect for life (are) important parts of who we are, and they're not things to run away from." Akin shocked the political world Sunday when he said women rarely conceive as a result of a "legitimate rape" because their bodies have the capacity to prevent such a pregnancy. The comments sucked the air out of the political debate just as Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan were looking to build a head of steam rolling into next week's convention, where they will introduce themselves to millions of Americans during prime time. It was not immediately clear just how much harm Akin has done the Romney campaign, but Republicans fear Akin's gaffe will jeopardize party efforts to woo female voters and seize majority control of the Senate in November. "The problem is that Akin's statement just reinforces (the) GOP's general problem with women," Republican strategist Mark McKinnon, a former top advisor for then-president George W. Bush, told AFP. The party denied Akin about $5 million in campaign funding and political action committee Crossroads GPS said it was halting its spending in Missouri, including $2.3 million it had committed to advertising in the state. Akin tried to sound repentant in a new campaign ad seeking forgiveness from voters. "Rape is an evil act. I used the wrong words in the wrong way, and for that I apologize," he said, in a 30-second spot which featured a grave looking Akin addressing the camera directly. "I have a compassionate heart for the victims of sexual assault, and I pray for them." Akin is running against Claire McCaskill, a vulnerable incumbent Democrat in the Senate, and Republicans saw a crucial potential pick-up there. Now the outlook is different, and McCaskill quickly sought to raise campaign funds on her rival's remarks. Even as Republicans were scrambling to douse the flames, party leaders voted Tuesday on a platform to be unveiled at next week's convention which includes a "human life amendment" that would outlaw abortion, making no explicit exemptions for rape or incest. "We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment's protections apply to unborn children," the draft said, according to CNN. Democrats were eager to see Akin stay in the race, as it would only highlight a debate over abortion and women's rights that Democrats believe will hurt Romney, who is already behind in support from female voters. Obama, who denounced Akin's comments on Monday, was campaigning in the battleground state of Ohio, while Romney attended fundraisers in Texas. With 11 weeks to go before the election, both camps are preparing spending blitzes, and official figures showed Tuesday that Romney had a clear advantage. In a monthly report for July filed with the Federal Election Commission, Obama claimed reserves of $124 million between the president's campaign and his Democratic Party, while the Romney campaign earlier said it had $186 million.