RNC Chair Reince Priebus: Akin Could Cost Republicans Chance At Winning Senate

Republican National Committee chair Reince Priebus thinks that Todd Akin hurt a lot more than just himself with his comments that “legitimate rape” victims don’t get pregnant. The Senate candidate from Missouri also hurt the entire Republican Party’s chances by taking away a viable pickup in their bid to win back the Senate, the RNC chair said.

Priebus added his voice to that of many other prominent Republicans calling for Akin to leave the race, The Associated Press reported. Speaking as a guest on CNN’s State of the Union, RNC chair Reince Priebus said Akin needs to “put the mission of liberty and freedom ahead of himself” and leave the race.

Despite the pressure, Todd Akin has remained firm in his decision to remain in the race, and even gotten support from a few prominent people both in and out of politics, including the always outspoken Kirk Cameron. He has at least apologized repeatedly for saying that rape victims don’t get pregnant because the body tries to “shut that whole thing down.”

Priebus also spoke about the state of the presidential race, calling out Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nevada) for insinuating that Mitt Romney has paid no taxes for the last 10 years. Speaking on ABC’s This Morning, RNC chair Reince Priebus called Reid a “dirty liar.”

“As far as Harry Reid is concerned, listen, I know you might want to go down that road. I’m not going to respond to a dirty liar who hasn’t filed a single page of tax returns himself. (He) complains about people with money but lives in the Ritz Carlton here down the street,” RNC chair Reince Priebus said. “So if that’s on the agenda, I’m not going to go there. This is just a made-up issue. And the fact that we’re going to spend any time talking about it is ridiculous.”