Indiana Republican Senate candidate Richard Mourdock said Tuesday when a
woman becomes pregnant during a rape, "that's something God
intended."
Associated Press/Michael Conroy - Candidates for Indiana's U.S. Senate seat Democrat Joe Donnelly, left, Libertarian Andrew Horning, center, and Republican Richard Mourdock participate in a debate in New Albany,
Mourdock, who's been locked in one of the country's most watched Senate
races, was asked during the final minutes of a debate with Democratic
challenger Rep. Joe Donnelly whether abortion should be allowed in cases of
rape or incest. "I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to
realize that life is that gift from God. And, I think, even when life begins in
that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to
happen," Mourdock said.
Mourdock became the second GOP Senate candidate to find himself on the
defensive over comments about rape and pregnancy. Missouri Senate candidate
Rep. Todd Akin said during a television interview in August that women's bodies
have ways of preventing pregnancy in cases of what he called "legitimate
rape." Since his comment, Akin has repeatedly apologized but has refused
to leave his race despite calls to do so by leaders of his own party, from GOP
presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on down.
It was not immediately clear what effect Mourdock's comments might have
during the final two weeks before the Nov. 6 election. But they could prove
problematic. Romney distanced himself from Mourdock on Tuesday night — a day
after a television ad featuring the former Massachusetts governor supporting
the GOP Senate candidate began airing in Indiana. "Gov. Romney disagrees
with Richard Mourdock's comments, and they do not reflect his views,"
Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul said in an email to The Associated Press. Romney
aides would not say whether the ad would be pulled and if the Republican
presidential nominee would continue to support Mourdock's Senate bid.
Other Republicans did not immediately weigh in. Indiana Republican Party
spokesman Pete Seat referred comment to the Mourdock campaign. A spokesman for
the National Republican Senatorial Committee and a spokeswoman for Romney did
not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday night.
National Democrats quickly picked up on Mourdock's statement and used it
as an opportunity to paint him as an extreme candidate, calling him a tea party
"zealot." DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz described
Mourdock's comments as "outrageous and demeaning to woman" and called
on Romney to take his pro-Mourdock ad off the air.
Later Tuesday after the debate, Mourdock further explained he did not
believe God intended the rape, but that God is the only one who can create
life. "Are you trying to suggest somehow that God preordained rape, no I
don't think that," said Mourdock. "Anyone who would suggest that is
just sick and twisted. No, that's not even close to what I said."
In response, Donnelly said after the debate in southern Indiana that he
doesn't believe "my God, or any God, would intend that to happen." Along
with Romney's ad, top Republicans have been flocking to Indiana as part of an
effort to break open the high-stakes race for the Senate seat, currently held
by veteran GOP Sen. Richard Lugar who was defeated by Mourdock in the May
primary. Republicans need to gain three seats, or four if President Barack
Obama wins re-election, and seats that were predicted to remain or turn
Republican have grown uncertain.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell came to Indianapolis for a
fundraiser Monday, and Arizona Sen. John McCain and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey
Graham campaigned for Mourdock last week. New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte is
due in the state Wednesday.
Romney's coattails carry special significance in deeply conservative Indiana,
where Mourdock has underperformed Romney by 12 points in most public polls.
Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS also has bought another $1 million of airtime in Indiana,
making his group the biggest player in Indiana's Senate race. A message left
for Crossroads GPS spokesman Nate Hodson was not immediately returned.
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