The Washington Post reports that Mitt Romney has joined the overwhelming chorus of Republicans calling on Todd Akin to drop out of the Senate race today.
The Romney campaign reportedly released a statement from the presidential candidate:
As I said yesterday, 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. Today, his fellow Missourians urged him to step aside, and I think he should accept their counsel and exit the Senate race.
UPDATE: Akin just dismissed Romney on Sean Hannity's radio show:
Don't you think Romney made a bigger deal of this than he needed to? Why couldn't he run his race, and I'll run mine?
In case you were keeping count, here's a list of the high profile Republicans who have called on Akin to drop out [Updated: 8/22/12]:
Mitt Romney Rep. Paul Ryan (who gave Akin a personal phone call to ask him to drop) The National Republican Senatorial Committee American Crossroads (the PAC that had been funding Akin) Sen. Roy Blunt Former Sen. Jack Danforth Former Sen. Jim Talent Sen. Scott Brown Sen. Kelly Ayotte Sen. Ron Johnson John Ashcroft National Review Online Wall Street Journal Karl Rove Rush Limbaugh Sarah Palin Tea Party Express Ann Coulter Joe Scarborough Gov Scott Walker Gov. Chris Christie Gov. Bob McDonnell Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Sen. Lisa Murkowski Sen. John McCain Sen. Olympia Snow Sen. Orrin Hatch Rick Moran Erick Erickson RNC chairman Reince Priebus
People who think he should stay in the race:
His friend Mike Huckabee Kirk Cameron (damn, now those are some growing pains) Rep. Steve King (who makes Iowa look like the hoosier state) Claire McCaskill and most Democrats everywhere
Jeffrey Smith, a former Democratic member of the Missouri Senate, writes in Salon that there are 11 reasons why Akin won't drop. But one senior GOP sources puts it a little more succinctly: "It's hard to reason with an idiot."
