PPP Poll: Todd Akin back in the hunt (time for GOP Establishment to follow their own advice)

When Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO), who is in a Senate race to defeat incumbent liberal Democrat Claire McCaskill, used the term 'legitimate rape' in an interview that turned to the subject of abortion, there were basically three arguments from the right for why Akin needed to drop out.

1. It was a stupid thing to say and Republicans are held to a higher standard than Democrats.
2. The comment made him unelectable in a race the Republicans desperately need to win.
3. He would be a lightning rod nationally for the Democrats' 'War on women' narrative.

Karl Rove, who heads a Super-PAC, as well as Reince Priebus, head of the Republican National Committee, have both said Akin will receive no money from their respective entities. Both men have recently been dealt a heaping helping of irony. Rove, who said something far more egregious than Akin did when he made an grossly irresponsible comment about Akin's murder, now has a double standard problem if he doesn't step down from his politically powerful perch. Priebus, who last month said that even if Akin is tied, "we're not going to send him a penny," might have a very similar issue relative to double standards.

First up, here is Priebus pledging not to send Akin any money, regardless of how competitive the latter's race with McCaskill becomes. At the time this video was recorded, polls showed Akin as much as 10 points behind the incumbent.

Via Revealing Politics:

Now, a week later, it looks like Akin and McCaskill are neck-and-neck.

Via Powerline:

A poll taken by PPP on August 28 and 29 has Sen. Claire McCaskill leading Republican challenger Todd Akin by only one point, 45-44. PPP is the same organization that showed McCaskill leading Akin by only one point just after Akin made his stupid remark about rape and reproduction. However, in that poll PPP oversampled Republicans to the tune of 39% R and only 30% D.

In PPP’s latest poll of the race, Republicans made up 35 percent of the sample, while Dems made up 33 percent. Thus, the latest poll is worthy of consideration.

Akin, no doubt, will consider it. The likelihood of him dropping out of the race seems quite small as long as at least one reasonably credible poll shows him basically even with his opponent.

So it would appear that when it comes to the Akin / McCaskill race, we have the unstoppable GOP Establishment force vs. the socially conservative, immovable Senate candidate object. The Akin race is shaping up to be the manifestation of the GOP argument for conservatives to support Romney but in reverse. The establishment tells us constantly... This race is about beating Obama; you need to get behind Romney if for no other reason. The convention showed conservatives are willing to do that.

Here we have an extremely liberal Obama lackey in McCaskill, who threw her entire support behind the Obamacare effort and it's looking like Akin is back in the hunt. The conservatives, in general, have already bought what the establishment is selling when it comes to Romney. It's time for Priebus and the rest of the establishment powers that be to do the same with Akin, else they risk a fate similar to that of the Zax.