Missouri's Other Senator Leading Effort to Replace Akin on Ballot

Republican Roy Blunt hasn't been more successful than national Republicans trying to pressure Akin to exit the race

Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., in recent days quietly assumed a lead role in seeking a solution in which Rep.Todd Akin, R-Mo., would step down as the Republican challenger to Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., but has had no better success than national Republicans, GOP sources said. 

Since Akin's controversial comments on rape Sunday, he has had limited direct contact with national Republican leaders even as they publicly urged him to quit the race. Blunt, who is the sitting Republican senator from the state, a member of Senate Republican leadership and who worked with the Romney campaign to win congressional endorsements for the candidate, is an obvious choice to reach out to Akin.