GOP Rep. Steve King Steven (Steve) Arnold KingTrump, Biden deadlocked in Iowa: poll GOP leader: 'There is no place for QAnon in the Republican Party' Loomer win creates bigger problem for House GOP MORE (Iowa) on Saturday said that the media and the Republican Party's leadership owe him an apology in the wake of a controversy stemming from his recent comments about rape and incest.

Speaking at a town hall in his hometown of Storm Lake, Iowa, King was asked if he would stand by remarks in which he questioned whether there would be "any population of the world left" if not for rape and incest throughout history.

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King pushed back, asserting that the comment gained national headlines because a "very active and vibrant left-wing media" picked up a misquote from the Des Moines Register's initial reporting, CNN reported. He also contended that the media "decided to do a hack job."

"Iowans are significantly more positive than they are negative, and they know it's a misquote, and they know [The Associated Press] has, I'll say, retracted the quote that they initially used because they relied on the Des Moines Register, who did the same," King said, according to video from NBC affiliate WHO. "So when we have a national, viral attack that comes down on a misquote and it's absolutely proven, all the folks that did that attack, I think they owe me an apology, including my own leadership. I don't expect that's going to happen because egos are a little too strong in this business."

The Des Moines Register last week corrected a quote related to King's remarks about members of Congress who co-sponsored legislation of his. The AP never issued a retraction of its story.

King on Saturday went on to defend his stance on abortion and the legislation he has devised that would ban the procedure after the detection of a fetal heartbeat, which can occur within six weeks of a pregnancy.

"I did not allow exceptions for rape and incest in that bill because those babies that are born as a product of those activities [rape and incest] are as precious as you are or any of my grandchildren are," King said, CNN noted.

King, who has a history of making controversial statements on subjects such as immigration, last week sparked outrage from Republicans and Democrats after making remarks about rape and incest while defending anti-abortion legislation.