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ST. LOUIS (AP) — Missouri Rep. Todd Akin kept a low profile Monday, a day after saying women's bodies are able to prevent pregnancies in "a legitimate rape" situation and that conception is rare in such cases. At least two Senate Republicans urged him to abandon the race.

The congressman had no public appearances scheduled Monday, and did not plan any further comments on the issue, according to a campaign spokesman. Akin canceled a Monday morning interview on St. Louis radio station KMOX.

The six-term representative is the GOP nominee for the Senate seat held by Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill.

Asked in an interview Sunday on KTVI-TV if he would support abortions for women who have been raped, Akin said: "It seems to me, 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."

Later Sunday, Akin released a statement saying that he "misspoke" during the interview, though the statement did not say specifically which points were in error.

"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," Akin's statement said.

Akin also said he believes "deeply in the protection of all life" and does "not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action."

The backlash against Akin's comments brought some calls for him to get out of the Senate race, including from Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, considered to be one of the most vulnerable Senate Republicans in the November election.

"As a husband and father of two young women, I found Todd Akin's comments about women and rape outrageous, inappropriate and wrong," said Brown, who is locked in a tight race with Elizabeth Warren. "There is no place in our public discourse for this type of offensive thinking."

Brown said Akin should apologize and resign the Senate nomination.

Sen. Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican, said in a tweet that Akin "should step aside today for the good of the nation."

Akin's comments also brought a swift rebuke from the campaign of presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

Romney and Ryan "disagree with Mr. Akin's statement, and a Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape," Romney spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg said.

Romney went further in an interview with National Review Online, calling Akin's comment "insulting, inexcusable and frankly wrong."

"Like millions of other Americans, we found them to be offensive," Romney said.

In an emailed statement Sunday, McCaskill said it was "beyond comprehension that someone can be so ignorant about the emotional and physical trauma brought on by rape."

This month, the 65-year-old congressman won the state's Republican Senate primary by a comfortable margin. During the primary campaign, Akin enhanced his standing with TV ads in which former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee praised him as "a courageous conservative" and "a Bible-based Christian" who "supports traditional marriage" and "defends the unborn."

Ushering Akin from the race is complicated by the fact that he has never been a candidate beholden to the party establishment. Since being elected to Congress in 2000, Akin has relied on a grassroots network of supporters. His Senate campaign is being run by his son.

Behind the scenes, Republican officials were looking for intermediaries trusted by Akin to try to coax him from the race.

Missouri election law allows candidates to withdraw 11 weeks before Election Day. That means the deadline to exit the Nov. 6 election would be 5 p.m. Tuesday. Otherwise, candidates would need a court order to withdraw.

If Akin were to leave, state law holds that the Republican state committee has two weeks to name a replacement. The candidate would be required to file within 28 days of Akin's exit.

Akin, a former state lawmaker who was first elected to the House in 2000, also has a long-established base among evangelical Christians and was endorsed in the primary by more than 100 pastors.

Associated Press writers Henry Jackson in Washington and Chris Blank in Jefferson City, Mo., contributed to this report.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Rep. Todd Akin renewed his vow to carry on with his embattled Senate campaign Tuesday, even as a key deadline loomed to withdraw from the race over his comments that women's bodies can prevent pregnancies in cases of "legitimate rape."

Akin, who has been frantically trying to salvage his once-promising bid against incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill, insisted the uproar surrounding his remarks was an overreaction to misspeaking "one word in one sentence on one day."

For the second time in two days, Akin went on the radio show hosted by former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee to say he planned to stay in the race, despite constant urging from prominent members of his own party to step aside.

"I guess my question is: Is there a matter of some justice here?" Akin asked. After his original statement, "all of a sudden, overnight, everybody decides, 'Well, Akin can't possibly win.' Well, I don't agree with that."

The race has long been targeted by the GOP as crucial to regaining control of the Senate.

"I hadn't done anything morally or ethically wrong, as sometimes people in politics do," Akin said. "We do a lot of talking, and to get a word in the wrong place, still, that's not a good thing to do, or to hurt anybody that way, it does seem like a little bit of an overreaction."

Hours earlier, he posted a video online in which he apologized again.

But ominous signs were mounting against the six-term legislator from suburban St. Louis, most notably the apparent loss of millions of dollars in campaign advertising money.

The decision to stay or go has some urgency. Missouri election law allows candidates to withdraw 11 weeks before Election Day. That means the deadline to exit the Nov. 6 election is 5 p.m. Tuesday. Otherwise, a court order would be needed to remove a name from the ballot.

The uproar began Sunday, when St. Louis television station KTVI aired an interview in which Akin was asked if he would support abortions for women who have been raped.

"It seems to me, 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," Akin said.

The comments drew a sharp rebuke from fellow Republicans, including presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney and his vice presidential choice, Rep. Paul Ryan, of Wisconsin.

The Senate's top Republican, Mitch McConnell, said Tuesday that Akin "made a deeply offensive error at a time when his candidacy carries great consequence for the future of our country." McConnell said the apology was insufficient.

A day after nudging Akin by suggesting he "take time with his family" to consider his future, McConnell said it was time for Akin to drop out.

North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr and New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte joined McConnell, as did five patriarchs of the Missouri Republican Party.

Sen. Roy Blunt and four former senators from Missouri — John Ashcroft, Kit Bond, Jim Talent and John Danforth — issued a joint statement saying they "do not believe it serves the national interest" for Akin to remain in the race.

After his defiant statements on Huckabee's show, Senate Republicans' campaign arm reiterated that it would not support Akin's campaign.

"The stakes in this election are far bigger than any one individual," said Brian Walsh, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee. By staying in the race, Akin "is putting at great risk many of the issues that he and others in the Republican Party are fighting for."

The committee had set aside $5 million for advertising and had other plans for logistical and field support for Akin's campaign before his comments on Sunday.

At least one outside group that has advertised extensively in Missouri, the Karl Rove-backed Crossroads GPS, has also said it was also pulling all of its advertising in Missouri.

Two GOP officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they did not want to irritate Akin, said party officials seeking to talk with him were having trouble reaching him Monday night and Tuesday morning.

Akin campaign spokesman Ryan Hite declined Tuesday to reveal Akin's whereabouts but said he was not in his suburban St. Louis campaign office. Hite said the campaign may release information about his public schedule later.

The apology video Akin posted on YouTube early Tuesday was an apparent attempt to claw back some of the lost funding.

"Fact is, rape can lead to pregnancy. The truth is rape has many victims. The mistake I made was in the words I said, not in the heart I hold. I ask for your forgiveness," he said in the video.

Just two weeks ago, Akin was at the top of the political world in Missouri after winning a hotly contested three-way battle with millionaire businessman John Brunner and former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman for the right to challenge McCaskill in the November election. Missouri has grown increasingly conservative in recent years, and McCaskill is seen as vulnerable.

One anti-abortion group expressed support for Akin, while another called on him to step aside.

Missouri Right to Life, which opposes a woman's right to get an abortion even in cases of rape and incest, said Akin's "consistent defense of innocent unborn human life clearly contrasts" with McCaskill's position. But the Christian Defense Coalition called on him to withdraw.

Names are being floated about a possible replacement for Akin. A favorite is Tom Schweich, the state auditor who was courted to run for Senate earlier this year but declined.

Other names mentioned include former Gov. Matt Blunt, the son of Sen. Roy Blunt; two members of Missouri's House delegation, Blaine Luetkemeyer and Jo Ann Emerson; and Akin's two unsuccessful primary opponents, Brunner and Steelman.

Talent, who lost his seat to McCaskill in 2006, said Monday he had been asked to run but declined.

If Akin were to leave, state law gives the Republican state committee two weeks to name a replacement. The new candidate must file within 28 days of Akin's exit.

Associated Press writers Henry C. Jackson in Washington; Jim Suhr in St. Louis; and Chris Blank and David Lieb in Jefferson City, Mo., contributed to this report.