Funds still flowing after Mourdock's rape comment

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - If Republican Senate candidate Richard Mourdock was feeling any heat for comments he made that a pregnancy resulting from rape was something "that God intended," it wasn't at a Republican fundraiser Wednesday night in the wealthy Indianapolis suburb of Carmel.

Mourdock smiled and laughed Wednesday night while working the room at a private reception for Indiana Republicans, including Indiana's Republican secretary of state and attorney general, and several state lawmakers.

"It's another day on the campaign trail. You have up days, you have down days, but I'm really, really gratified with everything that's been said to me here tonight," Mourdock told the Associated Press as he left the reception and walked into the dinner.

Mourdock shared the stage at the fundraiser with gubernatorial candidate Mike Pence, and Republican donors said his comments likely would fire up Indiana's base of anti-abortion voters. Staff for the Hamilton County Republican Party, which hosted the Wednesday fundraiser, barred press from the dinner.

Mourdock's comments might not sink his campaign in Indiana, a state where Democrats and Republicans alike campaign against abortion.

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

Indiana gubernatorial candidate Mike Pence sought an apology from Murdock. Indiana House candidate Jackie Walorski, meanwhile, issued three statements Wednesday: two disagreeing with Mourdock and one suggesting that Republicans get back to talking about President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

That didn't happen Wednesday as the issue ricocheted around the nation's political landscape, from the presidential contest on down.

Mourdock, meanwhile, dove into damage control Wednesday, saying that he abhors violence of any kind and regrets that some may have misconstrued and "twisted" his comments. But he stood behind the original remark in Tuesday night's debate.

"I spoke from my heart. And speaking from my heart, speaking from the deepest level of my faith, I would not apologize. I would be less than faithful if I said anything other than life is precious, I believe it's a gift from God," Mourdock said at a news conference Wednesday.

GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney's campaign quickly said he disagrees with Mourdock's initial remarks, but Romney did not cancel a television ad in which he endorses the Senate candidate. New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte canceled an event scheduled for Wednesday with Mourdock.

Arizona Sen. John McCain, the 2008 GOP presidential nominee, told CNN that his continued support of Mourdock "depends on what he does."

McCain said he wants to see "if he apologizes and says he misspoke and he was wrong and asks people to forgive him. It's when you don't own up to it that people will not believe in you."

Mourdock aides said the McCain spot was taped before Mourdock's Wednesday press conference. But Mourdock never apologized for those comments.

But Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and Texas Sen. John Cornyn issued statements of support, acutely aware that Mourdock's fortunes in Indiana could hold the key to winning control of the Senate. Republicans must gain four seats if President Barack Obama is re-elected, three if Romney prevails.

In Indiana, it wasn't supposed to be this way. Mourdock's upset of veteran Republican Sen. Richard Lugar in the May primary created an opening for Democrats looking to fight for what would have otherwise been a safe GOP seat. The surprisingly close race between Mourdock and Democrat Joe Donnelly has spurred national Republicans to send more money and national stars to Indiana recently in an attempt to hold the seat.

Although Ayotte cancelled plans to headline a fundraiser for Mourdock in Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Republican Women Club pushed on with the fundraiser. Speaking inside the closed-door event, Indiana Republican Party Chairman Eric Holcomb declined to comment on Mourdock's explanation Wednesday and said the loss of Ayotte from the trail Wednesday would not slow their efforts to elect Mourdock.

"I think we're moving full steam ahead," he said.

So far, at least, Mourdock's comment does not seem to be provoking as loud an uproar as those from U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., this summer that a woman's body can prevent pregnancy in cases of what he called "legitimate rape."

National Republican and conservative groups, including Crossroads GPS, the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the Club for Growth, continued their on-air assault against Donnelly. A Democratic source tracking ad buys nationally said Wednesday there was no effort from Mourdock supporters to pull out of the state, as there was in Missouri, following Akin's comments.

Democrats capitalized on the remarks Wednesday,