Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) announces his candidacy for Senate, in Creve Coeur, Mo., in May 2011: Akin landed himself in hot water after making comments about rapes that result in pregnancy and whether abortion is justifiable in those cases.

AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, file

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ep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) has reiterated that he will not drop out of his Senate race against vulnerable Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in Missouri, despite calls from a number of Republican officials for him to do so. (The GOP has until 5 p.m. Tuesday to convince Akin to drop out without a court battle.) Akin came under fire on Sunday for controversial statements he made arguing that women are not able to get pregnant when they are raped. The Missouri lawmaker, who has since apologized for his remarks, announced his decision to stay in the race on former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's radio show, saying, "I believe the defense of the unborn and a deep respect for life.... They are not things to run away from." National GOP fundraising groups have promised that they won't offer Akin any financial support should he continue on.