Akin spotlights his faith in fundraising plea

(AP) ST. LOUIS -- Republican Congressman Todd Akin is highlighting his Christian faith while asking for help in reviving his Senate campaign.

A fundraising appeal sent Wednesday by Akin notes that he has asked both God and voters to forgive him for saying women's bodies can block pregnancy in cases of what he called "legitimate rape."

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Akin is continuing his Missouri campaign despite enormous party pressure to drop his challenge of Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill.

In the appeal, Akin writes that the media, "Washington elites" and "party bosses" are all against him.

Kerry Messer, president of the Missouri Family Network, says the controversy has united grass-roots Republicans around Akin, who has long been a favorite among home-schooling organizations and conservative church groups.

Messer says, "We need to prove that he really is our candidate, and this is not a decision for someone outside Missouri to make for us."