Deadline passes without word from Senate hopeful Akin
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A deadline passed on Tuesday evening with no indication from Republican U.S. Representative Todd Akin that he would bow to party pressure and quit the Missouri Senate race over his controversial remarks on abortion and rape. Missouri election law gave Akin until 5 p.m. local time (6 p.m. EDT) to take himself off the November 6 ballot in the Senate race against Democrat Claire McCaskill. Party leaders including Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell had strongly urged him to step down. …