Donnelly opens wide lead after Mourdock's rape comments

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - An Indiana race that could help decide control of the U.S. Senate appears to be shifting in favor of the Democrat after the tea party-backed candidate proclaimed a pregnancy resulting from rape is "God's will."

The Howey/DePauw University Battleground poll released Friday showed Republican Richard Mourdock trailing Democrat Joe Donnelly by 11 points since Mourdock's comments on abortion in a televised Oct. 23 debate.

The two had been running even until Mourdock's remarks. Mourdock's campaign and national Republicans have tried to move past the comments, but Democrats have spent heavily in Indiana to replay them for voters.

The poll of 800 likely voters was conducted by Republican pollster Christine Matthews and Democratic pollster Fred Yang between Oct. 28 and Oct. 30. It carries a 3.5 percent margin of error.