In Mourdock Damage Control Mode, NRSC Ties Akin To Democrat Donnelly
The National Republican Senatorial Committee, whose mission is to elect Republicans to the U.S. Senate, is in the odd position Wednesday of attacking Democrat Joe Donnelly in the Indiana Senate race by associating him with Todd Akin, the GOP Senate nominee in Missouri.
In a strategy that feels like it could come out of a Democratic communications shop, the NRSC sent an email to reporters Wednesday morning that put Donnelly and Akins name in bold print, highlighting an AP story from August the wake of Akins legitimate rape comments that pointed out Donnelly co-sponsored HR 3, the so-called forcible rape law.
The NRSC was reacting to the big news coming out of Tuesday nights debate in the Indiana Senate race, where Republican nominee Richard Mourdock said that he believed that pregnancies caused by rape is something that God intended.
After the debate, Donnelly pounced on Mourdocks comments. The God I believe in and the God I know most Hoosiers believe in, does not intend for rape to happen ever, Donnelly said in a statement. What Mr. Mourdock said is shocking, and it is stunning that he would be so disrespectful to survivors of rape.
The NRSCs email seems to be an effort to blunt Donnellys offensive and portray him as no more moderate on abortion than Mourdock. However, Mourdocks position on rape exceptions is different from Donnellys, who supports exceptions for rape and incest victims.
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