Scott Brown Calls On Akin To Resign Senate Nomination

By Julie Sobel  //  August 20, 2012 | 10:54 a.m.

Updated 11:04 a.m.

Some of Todd Akin's fellow GOP Senate nominees have already condemned the Missouri congressman's comments on rape. But Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown -- who was already among those slamming the congressman for the remarks -- has gone a step further, becoming the first GOP Senate candidate to call on Akin to resign the nomination.

"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 in a statement Monday. "There is no place in our public discourse for this type of offensive thinking. Not only should he apologize, but I believe Rep. Akin's statement was so far out of bounds that he should resign the nomination for US Senate in Missouri."

Brown, running for reelection in solidly-Democratic Massachusetts, has every reason for distancing himself as much as possible from Akin. His opponent, Elizabeth Warren, also condemned Akin's comments in a tweet Monday, saying, "I'm disgusted by Rep Akin's remarks about rape. The GOP agenda for women isn't just wrong. It's dangerous."

Brown's lead consultant, Eric Fehrnstrom, also is one of Mitt Romney's top presidential campaign advisers. Romney is expected to be asked about the controversy at his campaign stop in New Hampshire today. (Romney told National Review today: "Congressman Akin's comments on rape are insulting, inexcusable, and, frankly, wrong. Like millions of other Americans, we found them to be offensive." Already two GOP Senate candidates -- Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg, former Sen. George Allen and Arizona Rep. Jeff Flake -- have already distanced themselves from Akin's remarks. It will be telling to see which ones merely distance themselves and which ones follow Brown's lead and call on him to step down.

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