No dinner or money as Republicans shun Akin

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Representative Todd Akin has defied Republican leaders’ calls to leave the Missouri Senate race over his inflammatory remarks about rape, but the party is using more than words to convince him to remove his name from the November 6 ballot. Here are some ways Akin can be pushed to leave the race against Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill, which had been considered one of the best Republican hopes for capturing the four seats the party needs to gain a majority in the 100-member U.S. Senate. * Money. …