Days following the national flap over his controversial statement about what ???something God intended??? in terms of rape and the abortion issue, Indiana???s Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Richard Mourdock appears to be holding on quite well. With a Rasmussen Poll showing the state treasurer and stalwart conservative leading Democratic opponent and Rep. Joe Donnelly by a margin of 47 to 42 percent statewide, there is no sign of the abandonment of Mourdock by state and national Republicans that there was with Missouri Rep. Todd Akin after his controversial statement about ???legitimate rape??? earlier this year.
In fact, about the most critical comment that has been said about Mourdock???s remark was that of former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, who told CBS on Thursday morning: ???I don't agree with what he said. I thought that what he said was kinda crazy.???
But the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the super PAC American Crossroads, and the Club for Growth are not pulling their TV broadsides out of the state, as they did with Akin in Missouri.
Mitt Romney said he still supports Mourdock, although he disagrees with the Indiana state treasurer with his opposition to abortion except to save the life of the mother - Romney opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother, which is the same position as Democratic opponent Joe Donnelly. In addition, a spokesman for John McCain said that the Arizona senator still backs Mourdock.
U.S. House hopeful and former state Rep. Luke Messer seemed to speak for most Hoosier Republicans, when asked about the issue. Messer campaign quarterback Megan Robertson told Human Events: ???Like (Republican gubernatorial nominee) Mike Pence, Luke disagrees with Mr. Mourdock in that he believes there should be exceptions for rape and incest as well as the life of the mother and believes he should apologize (for the remark).???
Hours after his statement, Mourdock held a news conference and made it clear he was referring to conception itself as ???something God intended??? and not rape. "I spoke from my heart. And speaking from my heart, speaking from the deepest level of my faith, I would not apologize,??? said Mourdock. ???I would be less than faithful if I said anything other than life is precious, I believe it's a gift from God.???
For Republicans from Indianapolis to Washington, that seems to be enough.
