Indiana Senate Race Controversy: Rape, Pregnancy, and God

The Democratic Party was running with comparisons of Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock to Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) after a debate response about pregnancy and rape.

Advertisement

Akin, who’s challenging Sen. Clair McCaskill (D-Mo.), got his RNC and NRSC funding pulled in August after making comments in a TV interview about pregnancy being less likely to result from “legitimate rape.”

Mourdock, the state treasurer who defeated Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) in the GOP primary, is in a tight race for the seat with Blue Dog Democrat Rep. Joe Donnelly.

At tonight’s debate, he was asked about abortion in the case of rape. “I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realize life is that gift from God,” Mourdock said. “And I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen.”

The state Democratic Party quickly pushed out a video of the comment titled “Mourdock: God Intended Rape.”

“The God I believe in and the God I know most Hoosiers believe in, does not intend for rape to happen — ever,” Donnelly said in a statement. “What Mr. Mourdock said is shocking, and it is stunning that he would be so disrespectful to survivors of rape.”

Advertisement

“God creates life, and that was my point,” Mourdock said in his own statement after the debate. “God does not want rape, and by no means was I suggesting that he does. Rape is a horrible thing, and for anyone to twist my words otherwise is absurd and sick.”

Richard Mourdock quickly became a trending topic on Twitter. Mitt Romney stumps for Mourdock in a new ad set to air this week, calling him the “51st vote” needed to repeal ObamaCare.

“Gov. Romney disagrees with Richard Mourdock’s comments, and they do not reflect his views,” said Romney press secretary Andrea Saul.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1WDxSAyaR0

Recommended

Trending on PJ Media Videos

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Advertisement
Advertisement