Bachmann stays silent on Akin despite primary endorsement

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), who backed Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) during his Senate primary, has stayed notably silent even as most in the Republican Party have weighed in on Akin's controversial "legitimate rape" comments.

"We're not offering any comment on Akin right now," Bachmann spokesman Chase Kroll told The Hill when asked if she still supported his campaign. "We're just not weighing in."

Bachmann, no stranger to inflammatory statements herself, has long been an ally of Akin's. The two were among the founders of the House Tea Party Caucus, and in April she endorsed his campaign, describing him as a "a principled conservative" who "will make a great United States senator." Akin, in turn, called her a "dear friend."

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), a close friend of both Akin and Bachmann, landed in some hot water earlier this week when he defended Akin as a "strong Christian man." It's notable that Bachmann, who holds a much safer House seat than King, is neither defending him nor publicly criticizing the embattled lawmaker.

Akin drew heated criticism for claiming that victims of "legitimate rape" can biologically block pregnancy. He apologized for those comments, saying he "misspoke," but rejected calls for many prominent Republican leaders to drop out of the Missouri Senate race.

Akin said Wednesday that he received a phone call from Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Mitt Romney's vice presidential pick, advising him to leave the race.

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