Conservatives Fund backs Akin in Mo. Senate bid

Akin contrasted McCaskill's demeanor in their first debate last week with her approach six years ago.

"She was very aggressive in the debate, which was quite different than the way she was when she ran against Jim Talent" in 2006, Akin said during a campaign stop Thursday at the state capitol. At that time, he added, "she had a confidence and was very much more sort of ladylike and all."

Akin's comment came moments after the Senate Conservatives Fund announced it was endorsing him. It was the highest-profile financial commitment Akin has netted since his campaign lost millions of dollars of planned advertising by other national groups that aid Republicans. Those groups withdrew their support after Akin remarked last month that women's bodies have ways of averting pregnancy in cases of "legitimate rape."

Akin has apologized repeatedly since then but defied demands from top Republicans — including presidential nominee Mitt Romney — to quit the race. He's hoping his campaign can gain momentum now that he has let pass Tuesday's final deadline to drop out of the race. But staying in the contest has left Romney, running mate Paul Ryan and the rest of the GOP hierarchy in an awkward position.

The "ladylike" comment complicated Akin's efforts and the broader contest for control of the Senate. Republicans need to gain four seats to win the majority, a task that seemed within reach a few months ago but has now grown uncertain, in part because of Akin's campaign.

At the Missouri Capitol on Thursday, Akin said he believes he will get the votes of Republicans and Romney supporters and defeat McCaskill, who has close ties to President Barack Obama. Akin said thinks McCaskill believes he can win, too. He cited as evidence McCaskill's demeanor in a Missouri Press Association debate Sept. 21, contrasting it with the way she debated then-Sen. Jim Talent in 2006.

"In the debate we had Friday, she came out swinging, and I think that's because she was threatened," Akin said.

McCaskill's campaign did not immediately comment about the remark, but others quickly denounced it. Washington Sen. Patty Murray, who is chairwoman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, called it "demeaning to women and offensive to all."

Emily's List, which backs Democratic candidates who support abortion rights, quickly incorporated the remark into an email fundraising plea to finance more TV ads against Akin.

"Ladylike?! This is a Senate race, not a beauty pageant, Todd," the group's new media director Emily Lockwood said in the email.