By Mike Rush
St. Louis (KSDK) - Many of Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin's fellow Republicans are clearly disturbed by his comments that women's bodies sometimes are able to prevent pregnancies from what he called "a legitimate rape."
On Monday, Karl Rove and his powerful Crossroads Super PAC, pulled their ads out of the Missouri race.
Akin tweeted Monday, "I am in this race to win," but it's clear many of his fellow Republicans don't think he can win.
While the Missouri Republican Party did not return NewsChannel 5's repeated inquiries, in a statement, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee called the comments "offensive and indefensible" and all but asked Akin to drop out saying he should "carefully consider what is best for him, his family, the Republican Party".
The committee is also withdrawing $5 million in advertising it had planned for his campaign.
Also, the conservative National Review Online is urging Akin to step aside, saying he lacks judgment.
NewsChannel 5 Political Analyst Dave Robertson says behind the scenes, he believes Republicans on a national level are pressuring Akin to step down because they believe they have a real chance of beating Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill.
But in Missouri, he says it may not be so clear cut.
"I think people in Missouri would be thinking, you know, we'd rather have a more moderate candidate, say, a Tom Schweich, running for this office, but I don't see Akin voluntarily giving up this nomination," said Robertson.
NewsChannel 5's Mike Rush reached out to the two primary candidates who Akin beat.
John Brunner did not return Rush's calls. Sarah Steelman answered her phone and promised an interview, but when the time came, she didn't call back.
KSDK