Claire McCaskill Crushes Todd Akin with One 30 Second Ad

Last updated on February 8th, 2013 at 08:34 pm

Now that the deadline has passed for Todd Akin to drop out of the race Sen. Claire McCaskill is hitting him hard on his legitimate rape comments.

Here is the ad:

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McCaskill’s ad was clever in that it used Akin’s legitimate rape comments as part of a broader picture of who he is. McCaskill also hit Akin on his dislike of Social Security, his belief that Medicare was unconstitutional, his position that the minimum wage should be abolished, and his campaign pledge to eliminate student loans. The ad was designed to point out Akin’s extremism. The centerpiece of that extremism is Akin’s legitimate rape comments.

Just like Paul Ryan, Todd Akin is a byproduct of radically ideological House of Representatives. The radical views of the House have not only led to record low approval ratings for the Republican controlled body, but their unpopularity is one of the key reasons why the Republican brand is so damaged.

Mitt Romney chose to taint himself with House radicalism when he selected Paul Ryan as his running mate, and the tea party likely cost the Republican Party any chance that they had of winning control of the Senate when they nominated Akin. The problem for the Republicans is that the House represents what their ideology really is. It is not as if the rest of the Republican Party is full of moderates, and the House is run by extremists. The House of Representatives is the reflection of their base.

The Senate Republicans don’t reflect the base. Mitt Romney certainly doesn’t reflect the GOP rank and file, but the House majority was largely chosen and elected by the radical base that is currently steering the party ship.

The Republican Party has moved so far to the right that a candidate like Sen. McCaskill, who might be a vulnerable incumbent in any other year, becomes a strong candidate for reelection when the alternative on the ballot is far right radicalization.

McCaskill does not have to make legitimate rape the center of her campaign. Just reminding voters of what Todd Akin really believes should be enough to carry her to victory.



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