Politico Arena: Can Todd Akin pull off a win?
Senator John Cornyn’s job as National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman is to win Senate races and help Mitch McConnell become the next Senate Majority Leader. To pass over this winnable Senate race in Missouri would be a dereliction of duty.
Todd Akin has a path to victory, against a horribly weak incumbent, as long as he receives the proper support from both the NRSC and outside groups, such as Karl Rove’s American Crossroads. According to a Citizens United Political Victory Fund poll released earlier this month, Todd Akin held a five point lead over Claire McCaskill and is in a position to become the 51st vote in the United States Senate.
If Akin loses this race because of a lack of support, it will be on the establishment’s head, not Todd Akin’s. It is critically important for the conservative movement and the Republican Party to rally around Akin. It would be a complete disaster if Harry Reid remains Majority Leader because the establishment won’t support conservative Todd Akin while spending resources supporting moderate candidates in unwinnable races.