Todd Akin Biography

Quick Facts

NAME: Todd Akin
OCCUPATION: U.S. Representative
BIRTH DATE: July 05, 1947 (Age: 65)
EDUCATION: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Covenant Theological Seminary
PLACE OF BIRTH: New York, New York
AKA: Todd Akin
Full Name: William Todd Akin
ZODIAC SIGN: Cancer

Best Known For

Todd Akin is a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 2nd District, best known for his controversial statement on abortion made during his 2012 senate bid.

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Todd Akin

APA Style

Todd Akin. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 01:57, May 22, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/todd-akin-20943207.

Harvard Style

Todd Akin. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/todd-akin-20943207 [Accessed 22 May 2013].

MLA Style

"Todd Akin." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 22 2013, 01:57 http://www.biography.com/people/todd-akin-20943207.

MHRA Style

"Todd Akin," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/todd-akin-20943207 [accessed May 22, 2013].

Chicago Style

"Todd Akin," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/todd-akin-20943207 (accessed May 22, 2013).

CBE/CSE Style

Todd Akin [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 22] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/todd-akin-20943207.

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Todd Akin, http://www.biography.com/people/todd-akin-20943207 (last visited May 22, 2013).

AMA Style

Todd Akin. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/todd-akin-20943207. Accessed May 22, 2013.

Synopsis

Congressman Todd Akin was born in New York City on July 5, 1947. Akin served in the Missouri state legislature for 12 years before successfully running for the United States House of Representatives in 2000. Akin is a conservative Republican with uncompromising anti-abortion views. He received negative national recognition for controversial comments regarding rape made during his 2012 senate race, of which he ultimately lost to Democrat Claire McCaskill.

Early Life

William Todd Akin was born in New York City on July 5, 1947, to Nancy Perry and the Reverend Paul Bigelow Akin. The family relocated to St. Louis, Missouri when Todd was a child. Akin attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, earning a degree in management engineering. He eventually applied this training to a career in engineering at IBM and the Laclede Steel Company.

Akin was involved in the military and theology, as well as engineering. He served in the Missouri National Guard from 1972 to 1980, and completed a graduate degree in divinity at the Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis.

Political Career

In 1988, Todd Akin ran successfully for a seat in the Missouri House of Representatives. Akin was subsequently re-elected to this seat five times between 1990 and 1998. Over his 12 years in office, Akin voted for the legality of concealed weapons, and against increases in both taxation and funding for education. In 1995, he opposed Governor Mel Carnahan on the issue of state funding for abortions.

In 2000, Akin ran to replace outgoing Republican U.S. Representative Jim Talent, who resigned in order to run for governor. Akin was elected to the House, and was re-elected five times thereafter.

Akin's record in the United States House of Representatives has been consistently conservative and is informed by his Christian beliefs. He is anti-abortion in all cases, including instances of rape and incest. He is also uniformly opposed to embryonic stem cell research. Additionally, he has spoken out against gun control, gambling and taxation. During his tenure in Congress, Akin has earned high marks from the American Conservative Union and the National Rifle Association. He has also found support from Tea Party organizations.

Akin's leadership positions in the House have largely been related to the military. He has served on the House Armed Services Committee, including a position as chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.

2012 U.S. Senate Election

In May 2011, Akin announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination for the 2012 Senate election. He subsequently attained the nomination to challenge the incumbent, Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill, a first-term senator who achieved national recognition for her close relationship with President Barack Obama's administration.

In August 2012, Akin made national headlines for controversial remarks on abortion and pregnancy. In a television interview in Missouri, he expressed his opinion that pregnancy rarely occurs in cases of "legitimate" rape, due to a biological response to trauma.