Pro-life groups also said that they remain solidly in Mourdock’s corner.
“We support Richard Mourdock in his belief in the sanctity of life from conception to natural death,” said Concerned Women for America PAC CEO and President Penny Nance. “The issue at stake here is more of a theological question, and it needs to be discussed in a more in-depth and sensitive manner among people who understand the theology of God’s sovereignty in the midst of evil acts.”
Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of the pro-life Susan B. Anthony list, also voiced support for Mourdock.
“Richard Mourdock said that life is always a gift from God, and we couldn’t agree more,” she said in a statement. “To report his statement as an endorsement of rape is either willfully ignorant or malicious.”
Indiana Right to Life Political Action Committee Chairman Mike Fichter told LifeNews that he also supported Mourdock.
It remains to be seen if the rape comments will damage Mourdock’s election hopes in the way that they did Akin’s. However, Akin was favored to win the race before he sounded off on “legitimate rape”, and polls show he is still running neck-and-neck with unpopular Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill.
But Mourdock was underperforming in Indiana even before Tuesday’s debate. He’s tied with his Democratic opponent in a traditionally Republican state that is widely expected to go for Romney. And with just two weeks until election day, Mourdock may not have sufficient time to recover from Democratic attacks should they gain traction.
