Richard Mourdock under fire for rape remarks

Richard Mourdock, the Indiana Republican Senate candidate, came under fire Tuesday night for comments suggesting that pregnancies occurring from rape are the result of God's will.

(Also on POLITICO: Romney camp seeks distance from Mourdock comments)

At a Tuesday night debate during which Mourdock was asked about his position on abortion, he said the procedure should be allowed only to save the life of a mother.

"I know there are some who disagree, and I respect their point of view, but I believe that life begins at conception," Mourdock said at a debate with Democratic opponent Rep. Joe Donnelly and libertarian Andrew Horning. "The only exception I have to have an abortion is in that case of the life of the mother."

Mourdock added: "I just struggled with it myself for a long time but I came to realize: Life is that gift from God that I think even if life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen."

The Indiana Democratic Party and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in Washington immediately jumped on the comments, comparing them with the firestorm over remarks made by Todd Akin, the Missouri Senate GOP candidate who defended his opposition to abortion in cases of rape by saying "legitimate rape" rarely leads to pregnancies and forces female bodies to shut down.

“As a pro-life Catholic, I’m stunned and ashamed that Richard Mourdock believes God intended rape," said Dan Parker, chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party.

"Victims of rape are victims of an extremely violent act, and mine is not a violent God. Do we need any more proof that Richard Mourdock is an extremist who’s out of touch with Hoosiers?”

The Mourdock campaign immediately put out a statement clarifying his statement and rejecting the Democratic outcry.

"God creates life, and that was my point," Mourdock said in the statement. "God does not want rape, and by no means was I suggesting that He does. Rape is a horrible thing, and for anyone to twist my words otherwise is absurd and sick."

Mitt Romney, who cut an ad for Mourdock this week urging Hoosier State voters to elect the Republican, distanced himself from the GOP candidate's remarks Tuesday night.

"Gov. Romney disagrees with Richard Mourdock's comments, and they do not reflect his views," said Andrea Saul, Romney's spokeswoman.

Mourdock and Donnelly are locked in a surprisingly close race for the seat now held by Republican Sen. Dick Lugar, who was defeated in the GOP primary.