Justin's Political Corner

LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. (AP) — Shunned by Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin instead turned Tuesday to former presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich to help raise his profile and cash in the closing week of his campaign against Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill.

Gingrich was appearing with Akin at a pair of Kansas City area fundraisers and touring a packaging business Tuesday, then rallying with Akin on Wednesday in a series of events intended to draw public attention and private contributions to fuel advertising for the final days before the Nov. 6 election.

McCaskill, whose mother died Monday, had no campaign events scheduled but has continued to wage an aggressive TV advertising battle against Akin. Finance reports analyzed Tuesday by The Associated Press show McCaskill, who already held a cash advantage, has drawn more four-figure donations than Akin in the final days of their campaign.

Missouri’s Senate seat had long been considered one of several toss-ups nationwide as Republicans and Democrats battle for control of the chamber. But Romney and many deep-pocketed fundraising groups that aid Republicans abandoned Akin after he remarked in an August TV interview that women’s bodies have ways of avoiding pregnancy in “legitimate rape.”

Akin apologized and forged forward with a re-tooled campaign that relied more on an anti-establishment message and small-dollar donations. Gingrich was the first prominent Republican to headline a fundraiser for Akin after the rape remark, appearing at a St. Louis area event in September as it became clear that Akin would not drop out of the Senate race. Akin also has been aided by former Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum and 2008 GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, who has appeared in TV ads for Akin.

h/t: Yahoo! News