Ex-US Rep. Todd Akin, sunk by ‘legitimate rape’ remark, dies

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Former U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, a blimpish Missouri Republican whose remark that women's bodies person a mode of avoiding pregnancies successful cases of “legitimate rape” sunk his bid for the U.S. Senate and became a cautionary communicative for different GOP candidates, died precocious Sunday. He was 74.

Akin had crab for respective years, his son, Perry, said successful a statement. He died astatine his location successful Wildwood, a St. Louis suburb.

“As my father’s decease approached, we had radical from each antithetic walks of beingness stock communicative aft communicative of the idiosyncratic interaction helium had connected them,” Perry Akin said successful a connection to The Associated Press.

“He was a give Christian, a large father, and a person to many. We cherish galore fond memories from him driving the tractor astatine our yearly hayride, to his riveting transportation of the state communicative astatine 4th of July parties dressed successful the afloat azygous of a assemblage minuteman. The household is thankful for his legacy: a antheral with a servant’s bosom who stood for truth.”

Akin represented a Republican-leaning eastbound Missouri territory that included St. Louis-area suburbs for 12 years, giving up a harmless spot to tally for the U.S. Senate successful 2012. He emerged from a crowded GOP superior to situation past incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, lone to earnestly wounded Republicans' chances of recapturing a Senate bulk little than 2 weeks later.

Akin, a beardown termination opponent, was asked during an interrogation by a St. Louis tv presumption whether helium supported allowing abortions for women who person been raped. He answered that “from what I recognize from doctors” that specified pregnancies are “really rare.”

He added: “If it’s a morganatic rape, the pistillate assemblage has ways to effort to unopen that full happening down.”

His comments sparked an outcry. The Republican statesmanlike candidate, Mitt Romney, instantly rebuked Akin and said his run would let abortions successful specified cases.

Criticism of Akin's remarks clouded his U.S. Senate bid until the end, making him a awesome of however Republicans could fumble distant races they had a bully accidental of winning with a campaigner deemed excessively acold to the right. Akin's run initially said helium “misspoke,” and Akin aboriginal said helium was wrong.

Akin faced unit from the nationalist GOP to retreat and let the authorities enactment to prime a replacement. He refused and ended up losing the contention by astir 16 percent points, receiving 39% of the vote. Yet different Republican officials and officeholders crossed the U.S. occasionally echoed his remarks — signaling however blimpish immoderate of the party's basal had go connected the issue.

Two years later, Akin published a book, “Firing Back,” successful which helium accused GOP leaders of abandoning him and letting McCaskill triumph and labeling quality organizations arsenic bullies. In the book, helium besides retracted his nationalist apology for his “legitimate rape” remark.

Akin ne'er ran for bureau again, though aboriginal successful 2015, helium concisely fueled speculation astir a 2016 superior situation to GOP U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt with remarks that beverage enactment Republicans wanted “new blood.”

Akin was calved July 5, 1947, successful New York City, but grew up successful the St. Louis area. He received a bachelor's grade successful engineering and absorption from Worcester Polytechnic Institute successful Massachusetts successful 1970, served successful the U.S. Army and worked for IBM. He worked successful firm absorption astatine the St. Louis-based Laclede Steel Co.

He won a spot successful the Missouri House successful 1988 and served successful the Legislature for 10 years. He won Missouri's 2nd Congressional District spot successful 2000 and was reelected 5 times. He besides served connected the committee of the anti-abortion radical Missouri Right to Life.

In the 2012 U.S. Senate primary, Akin faced 2 formidable opponents, erstwhile State Treasurer Sarah Steelman and businessman John Brunner.

Many Democrats thought McCaskill's champion changeable astatine winning reelection would beryllium with Akin arsenic the GOP nominee. Her run aired tv ads suggesting Akin was excessively conservative, Brunner was not a reliable blimpish and Steelman represented “more authorities arsenic usual.”

Republicans took the ads arsenic McCaskill's effort to assistance Akin triumph the GOP primary. An autobiography that McCaskill published successful 2015 said she besides tried to boost Akin's run by urging it done backmost channels to resume airing a tv advertisement featuring an endorsement from erstwhile blimpish GOP statesmanlike campaigner and ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

McCaskill's moves paid off. Akin prevailed successful the eight-person GOP tract with lone 36% of the vote.

Funeral accusation has not been announced. Survivors see Akin's wife, Lulli Boe Akin, his mother, Nancy Bigelow Akin, 4 sons, 2 daughters and 18 grandchildren.

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Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Salter reported from O'Fallon, Missouri.

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