Mourdock Stands by Comments on Rape, Abortion

Unsurprisingly, rational people assume he's toast

Indiana Republican Senate candidate Richard Mourdock refused to apologize Wednesday for saying that rape resulting in pregnancy is "something God intended."

State Republicans and a few congressional leaders defended Mourdock, whose prospects of winning the seat long held by the GOP are unclear.

But with female voters critical in the tight presidential race and other stalemated contests two weeks before Election Day, many in the party distanced themselves with varying levels of abruptness and clarity, underscoring the difficult nature of the uproar even among other anti-abortion Republicans.