Todd Akin vows to stay in race: 'Just because somebody makes a mistake doesn't make them useless'

GOP congressman Todd Akin says he won't end his campaign as Missouri's Republican nominee for U.S. Senate. "I don't know that I'm the only person in public office who has suffered from foot-in-mouth disease," said Akin, who appeared on Mike Huckabee's radio show. "There are so many good people in Missouri who nominated me," Akin added. "I'm not a quitter, and my belief is that we're going to take this thing forward."

Akin's bottom-line? "Just because somebody makes a mistake doesn't make them useless."

Akin also told Huckabee he meant to say "forcible rape" instead of "legitimate rape."

Akin said he has not been approached by any Republican insiders about withdrawing. Mitt Romney's campaign is publicly saying Romney will not ask Akin to withdraw and the anti-choice Susan B. Anthony's List group is standing by Akin.

So far, Senators Scott Brown and Ron Johnson are the only big name Republicans calling on GOP Rep. Todd Akin to withdraw as the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, but both of them have political reasons for doing so. Brown wants to appear moderate in Massachusetts and Johnson is buddy-buddy with John Brunner, a potential replacement for Akin.

Given Akin's determination to stay in the race, Romney's refusal to push him out, and support from the SBA List, it looks like something major would have to change for Republican to get rid of their Akin problem.

10:53 AM PT: Bad news for Akin: Local Missouri Republicans are moving against him, NRSC Chairman John Cornyn is hinting he should quit, and Crossroads is pulling out of the state.

10:55 AM PT: And more bad news for Akin:

Walkback: SBAList issues 2nd statement, removes "proud to support Akin" & now says it didn't endorse @annanorthtweets http://t.co/...
— @BuzzFeedBen via TweetDeck

11:07 AM PT: And yet more bad news for him:

Source tells me Nrsc told Aikin If he stays in the race Nrsc won't support him bc his candidacy puts the senate gop majority a risk
— @DanaBashCNN via Twitter for iPhone Obviously they won't be supporting Claire McCaskill if he doesn't quit, but he won't get financial backing. It's a clear effort to push him out.

11:09 AM PT: Mitt Romney ever so tepidly hinting that Akin step down, contradicting his earlier opposition:

@MittRomney on if Akin should end senate bid- "he should spend 24 hours considering what will best help the country at this critical time"
— @JoshMcElveen via Twitter for iPhone