Rep. Walsh 'bothered' GOP did not 'stand up for' Akin

While many top Republicans — including presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) — called this week on Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) to abandon his bid for Missouri's U.S. Senate seat, Tea Party freshman Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) said his party overreacted to the Missouri lawmaker's controversial statements on rape.

“What he said was offensive, insulting and wrong, but I’m bothered by this rush to pile on," Walsh said, according to a report in the Patch. "And I’m bothered by the silence of members of our own party to stand up for him.”

Akin came under fire for saying over the weekend that a woman's body could prevent pregnancy in instances of "legitimate rape." He has since apologized in a commercial and in multiple media interviews, but national Republicans have expressed concern about his viability in the crucial showdown against incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) — and the damage his comments might have done to the national brand.

But despite calls for him to drop out of the race — and threats of withholding crucial advertising dollars in the fall — Akin said Tuesday that he was remaining in the race. He had until 5 p.m. to remove his name from the Missouri ballot without a legal challenge required, but that deadline elapsed.

During an appearance Wednesday on ABC's "Good Morning America," Akin joined Walsh in chiding "party bosses."

"I don't know the future, but I do know this. I knew that the party voters took a look at our hearts, understood who we were, had a chance to meet us in many, many different ways and made a decision," Akin said. "And it makes me uncomfortable to think that the party bosses are going to dictate who runs as opposed to the election process."

Akin also said that GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan contacted him Tuesday and urged him to exit the race.

"He advised me that it would be good for me to step down," Akin told NBC News. "I told him that I was going to be looking at this very seriously, trying to weigh all the different points on this."

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