On Friday, Sept. 21, Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill (D), and Senate Candidates Rep. Todd Akin (R) and Libertarian Jonathan Dine participated in a debate hosted by a Missouri statewide newspaper organization. Video courtesy KMIZ in Columbia, Missouri.
Senator McCaskill is serving her first term and was elected in the 2006 Democratic sweep that brought both houses of Congress under Democratic control.
Missouri's electorate is generally thought of as being conservative and the Republicans had expected to pick up a Senate seat in this race before Republican candidate Todd Akin made comments about "legitimate rape" on a local television show and the national Republican establishment urged him to leave the race. He decided to remain in the race and is facing a significant fundraising gap without the support of the national party or conservative super PACs.