Cornyn, Senate group hint they may help Akin after all 'Legitimate rape' remark threatened lawmaker's career

Missiouri U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin may receive some last-minute campaign funding from national GOP sources. Missiouri U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin may receive some last-minute campaign funding from national GOP sources. Photo: Mike Ransdell Photo: Mike Ransdell Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Cornyn, Senate group hint they may help Akin after all 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

WASHINGTON - Republicans' multimillion-dollar campaign to retake the Senate - a nationwide operation led by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas - has left the door ajar to providing last-minute support to embattled Senate candidate Todd Akin in Missouri, six weeks after disowning the staunch conservative for his comments about "legitimate rape."

Cornyn and Rob Jesmer, his top lieutenant at the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), have not ruled out potential campaign support for Akin closer to the election if the six-term congressman closes the gap with Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and puts Republicans within reach of political control of the Senate, report Republican insiders.

"If the race is within 10 percentage points, does anybody really think those threats to cut support are real?" says congressional campaign expert Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute. "Would John Cornyn sacrifice a chance at the Senate majority on the principle that he disagrees with Akin on rape and abortion? The money will come in."

Cornyn's operation has raised $81 million and spent $52.2 million nationwide to help elect GOP Senate candidates in a bid to gain the four seats needed to overcome Democrats' 53-to-47 majority.

The NRSC is currently financing broadcast advertising for GOP Senate candidates in Montana, North Dakota, Indiana and Maine with plans to start ads shortly in Wisconsin and Virginia. The NRSC has $28.9 million in cash on hand, according to reports to the Federal Election Commission made public Friday.

Fast moving, day-to-day decisions are being made on campaign spending based on the changing fortunes of GOP candidates, Cornyn's staff said. The latest statewide poll in Missouri shows McCaskill ahead of Akin, 47 percent to 43 percent.

The calculation about supporting Akin remains "pretty much a business decision," said Cornyn in comments confirmed by his staff. "I just think any money we would have to spend there (in Missouri) would be money we would have to pull away from other close races around the country which I think have a greater probability of electing a Republican senator."

Cornyn's tight-knit campaign operation all but endorsed Akin on Wednesday, without publicly promising money. Donations to Akin's campaign at this point would not be publicly disclosed until after the Nov. 6 election.

McCaskill has led Akin in six of the 10 statewide polls conducted since his comments Aug. 19.

Cornyn and other prominent Republicans had repudiated Akin's remarks at the time and urged him to withdraw from the race.

stewart.powell@chron.com