Boneheaded Rape Comments Seal Losses For Akin, Mourdock

By Chuck Sudo in News on Nov 7, 2012 10:40PM

Todd Akin (left) and Richard Mourdock

Illinois congressman Joe Walsh wasn’t the only politician whose particularly enlightening comments about women sealed an Election Day loss. Missouri Rep. Todd Akin lost his Senate campaign to incumbent Claire McCaskill, while in Indiana Rep. Joe Donnelly defeated Richard Mourdock in their Senate race.

Akin and Mourdock were roundly criticized for comments they made regarding rape during their respective campaigns. Akin never recovered from his August comment that women can’t get pregnant from “legitimate rape.” GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and GOP superPACs largely abandoned him in the fallout from his comments, leaving Akin to campaign to a mostly evangelical base while McCaskill earned support from independents and split ticket voters. Prior to Akin’s comments, McCaskill’s Senate seat was seen as one of the more vulnerable this election season.

The Romney campaign and Indiana Republicans, meanwhile, were left scrambling to distance themselves from Mourdock after the Indiana Treasurer’s comments in an October debate that women who get pregnant during a rape was “something God intended.” Donnelly, who’s also an opponent of a woman’s right to reproductive choice, was quick to condemn Mourdock after the debate.

Mourdock later said he regretted his words afterward but that "you can't unring the bell." While the Romney campaign never pulled their support, they likely regretted an ad that aired after Mourdock made his comments. Newt Gingrich said afterward people critical of Mourdock should "get over it."

We're sure voters did ... at the ballot box.