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m Cleaned up using AutoEd, added source link
The article doesn't support that he "clarified his comment" OR that he "apologized" (I think he actually did apologize, but that is not stated nor cited in the article so it shouldn't be in the lede)
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'''William Todd Akin''' (born July 5, 1947) is the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]] for {{ushr|MO|2}}, serving since 2001. He is a member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]. Akin won the [[United States Senate election in Missouri, 2012|2012 Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat]] in a crowded field. He will challenge [[U.S. Democratic Party|Democratic]] incumbent [[Claire McCaskill]] in the general election.
'''William Todd Akin''' (born July 5, 1947) is the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]] for {{ushr|MO|2}}, serving since 2001. He is a member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]. Akin won the [[United States Senate election in Missouri, 2012|2012 Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat]] in a crowded field. He will challenge [[U.S. Democratic Party|Democratic]] incumbent [[Claire McCaskill]] in the general election.


In describing his pro-life position in August 2012, Akin made a [[Todd Akin rape and pregnancy controversy|controversial comment]] that women who are victims of 'legitimate rape' rarely get pregnant. The comment led to widespread calls for Akin to drop out of his Senate race. Akin apologized, clarified his comment, and said he would continue his campaign.
In describing his pro-life position in August 2012, Akin made a [[Todd Akin rape and pregnancy controversy|controversial comment]] that women who are victims of 'legitimate rape' rarely get pregnant. He later said that he "misspoke." The comment led to widespread calls for Akin to drop out of his Senate race. Akin said that he would continue his campaign.


==Early life, education, and business career==
==Early life, education, and business career==

Revision as of 13:28, 23 August 2012

Todd Akin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Missouri's 2nd district
Assumed office
January 3, 2001
Preceded byJim Talent
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives
from the 86th district
In office
1993–2001
Preceded byJohn Hancock
Succeeded byJane Cunningham
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives
from the 85th district
In office
1989–1993
Preceded byFranc Flotron
Succeeded byChris Liese
Personal details
Born
William Todd Akin

(1947-07-05) July 5, 1947 (age 76)
New York City, New York
Political partyRepublican
SpouseLulli Akin
ResidenceWildwood, Missouri
Alma materWorcester Polytechnic Institute, B.S.
Covenant Theological Seminary, M.A.
OccupationEngineer, plant manager
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army National Guard
Years of service1972-1980
UnitMissouri

William Todd Akin (born July 5, 1947) is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's 2nd congressional district, serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. Akin won the 2012 Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat in a crowded field. He will challenge Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill in the general election.

In describing his pro-life position in August 2012, Akin made a controversial comment that women who are victims of 'legitimate rape' rarely get pregnant. He later said that he "misspoke." The comment led to widespread calls for Akin to drop out of his Senate race. Akin said that he would continue his campaign.

Early life, education, and business career

Akin was born in New York City, the son of Nancy Perry (née Bigelow) and Rev. Paul Bigelow Akin. He moved to St. Louis and attended John Burroughs School. After graduating, he attended the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts where he earned a degree in management engineering, and in 1984 he earned a Master of Divinity degree at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. During college he was member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.

From 1972 to 1980, Akin served in the Missouri National Guard.[1] After his military career, he took up work at IBM as an engineer and later became a manager at Laclede Steel Company.

Missouri House of Representatives

Elections

Akin was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in November 1988, running unopposed to represent District 85 which included Town and Country and much of West County.[2] He won re-election in 1990 (59%),[3] 1992 (100%),[4] 1994 (70%),[5] 1996 (67%),[6] and 1998 (66%).[7]

Tenure

In 12 years in the state house, Akin voted for carrying concealed weapons, voted against the parks and soils sales tax, voted against the 1993 tax increase and education spending increase.[8] Akin sponsored legislation to prohibit casino companies from contributing to Missouri state lawmakers.[9] In 1995, he fought Democrat Governor Mel Carnahan on state-funding for abortion, which Akin opposed.[10]

Committee assignments

He was a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.[11]

U.S. House of Representatives

Akin was elected to represent Missouri's 2nd congressional district which includes the western St. Louis suburbs of Ballwin, Kirkwood, Chesterfield, Wildwood, Town and Country, and Des Peres located along Interstate 270 in western St. Louis County (West County) and the northwestern exurbs of St. Charles and St. Peters in St. Charles County. Akin is listed in the House roll as "R-St. Louis". The likely reason is that many areas in the St. Louis County portion of the district, including one of his district offices, have St. Louis addresses, even though the district does not include any part of the city of St. Louis itself.[citation needed]

Elections

In 2000, Republican U.S. Representative Jim Talent vacated the seat in his unsuccessful run for Governor of Missouri. Akin won a closely contested Republican primary election to replace Talent, defeating former St. Louis County Executive Gene McNary and State Senator Franc Flotron.[12] He defeated Democratic State Senator Ted House in the general election, winning 55 percent of the vote.[13] He never faced another contest even that close, and was reelected five times.

In 2010, Akin won re-election with 67.9% of the vote.[14] He had been challenged for the seat by Democratic nominee Arthur Lieber, Libertarian nominee Steve Mosbacher, and write-in candidate Patrick M. Cannon.

Tenure

Todd Akin voted for Paul Ryan's FY 2012 budget, which would restructure Medicare.[15]

Akin is an outspoken opponent of abortion in all cases, including health reasons or in cases of rape or incest. He opposes embryonic stem cell research, is a supporter of the right to keep and bear arms, and is generally opposed to increases in taxation and spending. As a U.S. Representative, he has continued to support these views, earning a 96% rating from the American Conservative Union in 2008, and 100% in 2007.[16] Akin has an A rating from the National Rifle Association.[17]

Akin is a staunch advocate of a federal prohibition of online poker. In 2006, he co-sponsored H.R. 4411, the Goodlatte-Leach Internet Gambling Prohibition Act,[18] and H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.[19]

Akin has spent significant time working on military and veterans issues. On the House Armed Services Committee he currently serves as the Chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, which handles all Navy and Air Force issues. In the past he has served as Ranking Republican on the Seapower Subcommittee and the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. Akin has also introduced a number of veterans-related bills, most notably the Open Burn Pit Registry Act, which creates a registry for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who were exposed to burn pits.

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

2012 U.S. Senate election

Main article: United States Senate election in Missouri, 2012

In mid-May 2011, Akin announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination in 2012 to unseat first-term Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill.[20] Other candidates in the August 2012 Republican primary include businessman John Brunner,[21] author and business executive Mark Memoly,[22] and former Missouri Treasurer Sarah Steelman.[23] Despite losing some momentum and in a crowded field, Akin won the Republican nomination in the August 7 primary, 36% to 30% for his nearest challenger. [24]

Home of record

In May 2011, questions were raised about Akin's official address for voting. According to the Associated Press and St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Akin has lived in Wildwood, in far western St. Louis County, since at least 2009, and perhaps as early as 2007, when he and his wife purchased a home there. However, he has continued to list his official residence as Town and Country, and signed a polling place logbook attesting to his living there in April 2011. According to the Missouri Secretary of State's office, anyone knowingly giving false information to election workers is guilty of a felony violation of state election laws.[25][26]

Liberalism and God

In late June 2011, Akin was discussing NBC's recent removal of the words "under God" from a video clip of the Pledge of Allegiance. Akin told radio host Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council that:

Well, I think NBC has a long record of being very liberal, and at the heart of liberalism really is a hatred for God and a belief that government should replace God.... This is a systematic effort to try to separate our faith and God, which is a source in our belief in individual liberties, from our country. And when you do that you tear the heart out of our country.[27]

Two days later, Akin said in a radio interview there he would not apologize, since he meant that not all liberals hate God, only that liberals have "a hatred for public references for God." The next day, he said:

People who know me and my family know that we take our faith and beliefs very seriously. As Christians, we would never question the sincerity of anyone's personal relationship with God. My statement during my radio interview was directed at the political movement, Liberalism, not at any specific individual. If my statement gave a different impression, I offer my apologies.[28]

Controversial comments on rape and pregnancy

Main article: Todd Akin rape and pregnancy controversy

In an August 19, 2012 interview aired on St. Louis television station KTVI-TV, Akin was asked his views on whether women who became pregnant due to rape should have the option of abortion. He replied:

Well you know, people always want to try to make that as one of those things, well how do you, how do you slice this particularly tough sort of ethical question. First of all, from what I understand from doctors, that’s really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. But let’s assume that maybe that didn’t work or something. I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child.[29]

The comment was widely criticized as false. Medical experts say there is no evidence to support the assertion that women are less likely to get pregnant from rape compared with consensual sex,[30][31][32][33] and a three-year longitudinal survey of 4008 adult American women, published in 1996, found that rape-related pregnancy occurred with "significant frequency."[34]

Political analysts believe that the comments have the potential to swing the 2012 United States Senate election in Missouri.[35][36] His opponent in the 2012 Senate race, Claire McCaskill, told MSNBC, "For most Missourians I hope this is one of those gut check moments when they realize this is not somebody we want speaking for us and for our values on the floor of the United States Senate."[37] The Washington Post reported a "stampede" of Republicans dissociating from Akin as part of damage limitation, with NRSC chairman John Cornyn saying the GOP would no longer provide him Senate election funding and describing Akin as "endangering Republicans’ hopes of retaking the majority in the Senate".[38] A campaign spokesman for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan said both disagreed with Akin's position and would not oppose abortion in instances of rape. Akin said, "In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it's clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year."[39] Media commentators considered the comment had not been misspoken but a reflection of personal belief taken back for political expediency,[40][41][42] with attention drawn to Akin's scientific ignorance and distrust of rape reports[40][41][42] and past actions and statements consistent with this belief.[42]

Electoral history

Year Office Republican Democratic Libertarian Ref
Candidate Votes % Candidate Votes % Candidate Votes %
1988 Missouri House, Dist. 85 Todd Akin 14,538 100% None 0 0 None 0 0 [2]
1990 Missouri House, Dist. 85 Todd Akin 6,815 59% Chris Liese 4,656 41% None 0 0 [3]
1992 Missouri House, Dist. 85 Todd Akin 14,809 100% None 0 0 None 0 0 [4]
1994 Missouri House, Dist. 85 Todd Akin 9,157 70% Leonard Hyman 4,015 30% None 0 0 [5]
1996 Missouri House Dist. 86 Todd Akin 10,791 67% Leonard Hyman 5,210 33% None 0 0 [6]
1998 Missouri House Dist 86 Todd Akin 8,026 66% Leonard Hyman 4,137 34% None 0 0 [7]
2000 U.S. House, Missouri 2nd Dist. Todd Akin 164,926 55% Tedd House 126,441 42% James Higgins 2,524 1 % [43]
2002 U.S. House, Missouri 2nd Dist. Todd Akin 167,057 67% John Hogan 77,223 31% Darla Maloney 4,548 2 % [44]
2004 U.S. House, Missouri 2nd Dist. Todd Akin 228,725 65% George Weber 115,366 33% Darla Maloney 4,822 1% [45]
2006 U.S. House, Missouri 2nd Dist. Todd Akin 176,452 61% George Weber 105,242 37% Tamara Millay 5,923 2% [46]
2008 U.S. House, Missouri 2nd Dist. Todd Akin 232,076 62% William Haas 132,068 35% Thomas Knapp 8,628 2% [47]
2010 U.S. House, Missouri 2nd Dist. Todd Akin 180,481 68% Arthur Lieber 77,467 29% Steve Mosbacher 7,677 3 % [48][49]

References

  1. ^ "Veterans in the US House of Representatives 109th Congress" (PDF). Navy League. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-06-26. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
  2. ^ a b Official Manual of the State of Missouri 1989-1990, p. 669.
  3. ^ a b Official Manual of the State of Missouri 1991-1992, p. 506.
  4. ^ a b Official Manual of the State of Missouri, 1993-1994, p. 716.
  5. ^ a b Official Manual of the State of Missouri, 1995-1996, p. 541.
  6. ^ a b Official Manual of the State of Missouri 1997-1998 p. 574.
  7. ^ a b Official Manual of the State of Missouri 1999-2000 p. 571.
  8. ^ "For The Missouri House -- Iv". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1996-11-01.
  9. ^ "Casinos Decry Proposal To Stop Contributions Similar Efforts Have Withstood Court Challenges". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1998-03-17.
  10. ^ http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9zUjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=a9gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1361,2108434&dq=todd+akin&hl=en. Retrieved 2012-01-29. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ^ "Tangled Politics Of Coming Election Apply Ice To Missouri's Tax-Cut Fever". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1996-04-07.
  12. ^ "U.S. Representative - District 2 - Summary". Office of Secretary of State, Missouri. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
  13. ^ "U.S. Representative - District 2 - Summary". Office of Secretary of State, Missouri. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
  14. ^ "Missouri". Election 2010. New York Times. Retrieved 2010-11-27. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  15. ^ "Akin Supports Ryan Budget".
  16. ^ Barone, Michael (2009). The Almanac of American Politics 2010. Washington, D.C.: National Journal. p. 875. ISBN 978-0-89234-119-1. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ http://www.akin.org/issues/2nd-amendment
  18. ^ "Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4411". Thomas.loc.gov. Retrieved 2011-05-09.
  19. ^ "Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4777". Thomas.loc.gov. Retrieved 2011-05-09.
  20. ^ "Congressman running for Senate introduces himself to the Heartland". 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2011-05-28. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |published= ignored (help)
  21. ^ "Todd Akin announces Missouri Senate bid". RollCall.com. 2011-05-17. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
  22. ^ "Filing day across Christian County". Springfield News-Leader via website. 2012-03-06. Retrieved 2012-03-10. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  23. ^ Catanese, David (December 1, 2010). "Inaugural scoop: Steelman files for Senate". Politico. Retrieved December 1, 2010.
  24. ^ "Election Night Reporting". MO Secretary of State. August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
  25. ^ "Todd Akin votes in Town and Country". St. Louis Post-Dispatch website. 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
  26. ^ "Missouri Rep. Akin voting, living at different places". Associated Press via KMOV-TV. 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
  27. ^ Colby Hochmuth (June 28, 2011). "Lawmaker Apologizes for Liberal 'Hatred of God' Quip". Fox News. Retrieved 2011-08-27.
  28. ^ Jason Hancock (June 29, 2011). "Akin changes course, apologizes for comment". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 2011-08-27.
  29. ^ Jaco, Charles. "The Jaco Report: August 19, 2012". Fox News. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  30. ^ Belluck, Pam (20 August 2012). "Health Experts Dismiss Assertions on Rape". New York Times. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  31. ^ Carroll, Linda (21 August 2012). "Doctors appalled over Rep. Akin's comments that 'legitimate rape' prevents pregnancy". NBC News. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  32. ^ Shastry, Sangeeta (20 August 2012). "Doctors dispute Akin's claim, but some supporters say it was misunderstood". Kansas City Star. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  33. ^ Clancy, Kate (20 August 2012). "Here is Some Legitimate Science on Pregnancy and Rape". Scientific American. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  34. ^ Holmes, MM (1996 August). "Rape-related pregnancy: estimates and descriptive characteristics from a national sample of women". American journal of obstetrics and gynecology. 175 (2): 320–4, discussion 324-5. PMID 8765248. Retrieved 21 August 2012. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  35. ^ Silver, Nate (August 19, 2012). "Akin Comments Could Swing Missouri Senate Race". The New York Times.
  36. ^ Henneberger, Melinda. "Say goodnight, Todd Akin". Washington Post. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  37. ^ Memoli, Michael A. (August 20, 2012). McCaskill: Akin 'legitimate rape' comment a 'gut check' for voters. Los Angeles Times
  38. ^ Nia-Malika Henderson & Paul Kane (2012-08-20). "National GOP pulls funding from Todd Akin's Missouri race". The Washington Post. Washington DC: Washington Post Company. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  39. ^ Associated Press (August 19, 2012). Rep. Akin says he 'misspoke' about rape in interview. USA Today
  40. ^ a b Chemaly, Soraya (2012-08-20). "Todd Akin: It's Not a War on Women, It's a War on Critical Thinking and Democracy". huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  41. ^ a b Manteuffel, Rachel (2012-08-20). "Todd Akin and 'legitimate rape' - PostPartisan". The Washington Post. Washington DC: WPC. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  42. ^ a b c Helmuth, Laura (2012-08012). "Todd Akin's 'legitimate rape' comment: Not a misstatement, but a worldview". slate.com. Retrieved 21 August 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)
  43. ^ 2000 Election Results Federal Election Commission. Mike Odell, Green Party, also received 2,907 votes, 1% of the total votes.
  44. ^ Secretary of State Official Election Results 2002
  45. ^ 2004 Election Results Federal Election Commission, p 119.
  46. ^ 2006 Election Results U.S. House of Representatives Federal Election Commission, p.82.
  47. ^ 2008 Election Results U.S. House of Representatives, Federal Election Commission, p.125.
  48. ^ Official Election Results U.S. House of Representatives, 2010, Federal Election Commission, p.95.
  49. ^ Official Election Returns, State of Missouri Secretary of State, November 30, 2010.

External links

U.S. House of Representatives

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source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Todd_Akin&diff=508777115&oldid=508773448

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