Voters Polarized Over Akin, Who Touts $100K in Donations in Two Days

Perhaps it will take $100,000; at least that's a start for the Republican U.S. Senate candidate from who is vowing this week to take on the Republican "party bosses." Patch has been watching the Todd Akin online fundraising meter for the past two days. He wanted to raise $100,000, asking individuals to send in $3 at a time.

Last night, the Akin fundraising meter said he still needed a few thousand dollars to reach that goal. Today, Akin announced he achieved it and then asked contributors to donate another $25,000 by midnight.

At the same time, Akin's opponent, incumbent U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), issued her own challenge to supporters in response to Akin's.

"With Akin using his controversial remarks to grow his campaign and cement himself outside the mainstream, we need to use this opportunity to grow right now, too," McCaskill's campaign said in an email. "That's why I'm setting a $150,000 fundraising goal for today." 

Many of Akin's local St. Louis supporters quietly have supported him this week, even after his comments about legitimate rape and abortion immediately caught national media attention.

Republican leaders from Akin's hometown of Wildwood and other West St. Louis County cities have told Patch they know him to be a man of principle. Several have said just because he made one mistake shouldn't mean he steps out of a race for which he was elected to run in the August primary.

Public Figures are Human—How Many Times Should They Apologize for Mistakes?

As Akin's campaign website states, he is still standing. Even after his public apology on Tuesday, his site's Home page states:  "I made a mistake. What I said was ill-conceived and it was wrong and for that I apologize. I believe that working to protect the most vulnerable in our society is one of my most important responsibilities."

Akin's campaign workers quickly asked for individual financial contributions when Republican party leaders withdrew a reported $5 million of election-related funding from Missouri for the upcoming race against incumbent Claire McCaskill. His site explains a contribution-related apology in this manner:

"The people from Missouri who elected me know I’m not perfect. They don’t make perfect people. We all make mistakes. When you make a mistake you tell people you’re sorry, you don’t try and hide it. I made a mistake and I’m sorry. Unlike Claire McCaskill, I believe that working to protect the most vulnerable in our society is one of my most important responsibilities, and that includes protecting both the unborn and victims of sexual assault. We must move forward and work together to replace Claire McCaskill in the Senate. But I can't do this alone... I need your help."