As reported by Tara Culp-Ressler of ThinkProgress, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tom Smith of Pennsylvania had his own “Todd Akin moment” recently when he said a woman getting pregnant after being raped is “similar” to a woman having a child out of wedlock.

MARK SCOLFORO, ASSOCIATED PRESS: How would you tell a daughter or a granddaughter who, God forbid, would be the victim of a rape, to keep the child against her own will? Do you have a way to explain that? SMITH: I lived something similar to that with my own family. She chose life, and I commend her for that. She knew my views. But, fortunately for me, I didn’t have to.. she chose they way I thought. No don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t rape. SCOLFORO: Similar how? SMITH: Uh, having a baby out of wedlock. SCOLFORO: That’s similar to rape? SMITH: No, no, no, but… put yourself in a father’s situation, yes. It is similar. But, back to the original, I’m pro-life, period.

Can someone help me with this? I’m having a hell of a time trying to figure out how any reasonable person can think that rape and having a child out of wedlock are even remotely similar.

I’m also having a hell of a time trying to understand how any woman could read or hear statements like Tom Smith’s and still think voting for Republicans is a good idea. These guys are seriously starting to remind me of a bunch of neanderthals.