TAMPA, Fla. — As Republicans work to keep Todd Akin off the agenda at their convention here, Democrats are working hard to keep the Republican nominee for Senate in Missouri and his views on “legitimate rape” in the minds of voters across the country.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is going forward with a new campaign aimed at tying Akin to House Republicans on the ballot this fall. Twenty Republicans (including Paul Ryan) will be targeted in their districts with DCCC robocalls that use Akin and the GOP’s draft platform — which calls for a total ban on abortion and is silent on any exceptions to that ban — to make the case that the GOP is far outside the mainstream on women’s issues.
Putting Akin close to the House GOP isn’t a tough sell. Akin was one of the many Republicans who co-sponsored legislation that originally rewrote the existing rape exception in the ban on federal abortion funding to only cover “forcible rape,” a move that abortion rights groups said would severely weaken the exception.
Even Mitt Romney has acknowledged that the Akin affair has “cast a shadow” over the GOP in recent days, despite calls from Romney and others in the party for Akin to leave the Missouri race.
Polls show Romney trailing President Obama badly on women’s issues, and the DCCC is banking on the fact that the Akin effect goes all the way down the ballot.
Here’s an example automated DCCC call hitting Republicans over Akin and the GOP platform. This version is running in Rep. Mike Coffman’s (R-CO) district.
Hello. This is Julie calling from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. By now, I’m sure you’ve heard Congressman Todd Akin’s unbelievable comments about rape and his outrageous beliefs about women’s rights.
You know what’s even more worrisome? He’s not alone.
Republicans like your Congressman Mike Coffman share some of these radical, right-wing beliefs- that the government should take away a woman’s access to making informed decisions about her own pregnancy.
It’s outrageous. This week, Congressman Coffman’s Republican Party platform will include a plank that says no to a woman’s right to choose without any exceptions even in cases of rape, incest or when the mother’s life is at risk.
If you’re tired of this right-wing social agenda from Congressman Todd Akin and Congressman Coffman then call him now at (XXX) XXX – XXX.
The DCCC call targets the following GOP members:
CA-07 Congressman Dan Lungren
CA-10 Congressman Jeff Denham
CO-06 Congressman Mike Coffman
FL-10 Congressman Bill Young
FL-16 Congressman Vern Buchanan
IL-10 Congressman Robert DoldIL-17 Congressman Bobby Schilling
MD-06 Congressman Roscoe Bartlett
MO-04 Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler
NH-02 Congressman Charlie Bass
NV-03 Congressman Joe Heck
NY-18 Congresswoman Nan Hayworth
NY-19 Congressman Chris Gibson
NY-24 Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkle
PA-07 Congressman Pat Meehan
PA-08 Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick
TX-32 Congressman Pete Sessions
VA-02 Congressman Scott Rigell
WI-01 Congressman Paul Ryan
WI-07 Congressman Sean Duffy
