Gingrich raising cash, profile for Akin Senate bid

Associated Press

DAVID A. LIEB, Associated Press

Updated: Oct 30, 2012 11:45 AM

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Shunned by Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin is instead turning to former presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich to help raise his profile and cash in the closing week of his campaign.

Gingrich was to appear with Akin at a series of events Tuesday and Wednesday in the Kansas City area. Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill had no campaign events scheduled, because she's taking time off following the death of her mother.

Romney abandoned Akin after the suburban St. Louis congressman remarked in August that women's bodies have ways of avoiding pregnancy in what he called "legitimate rape." But Gingrich and former GOP presidential candidates Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee have stood behind Akin after he apologized.

This is Gingrich's second fundraising trip to Missouri for Akin.

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