WASHINGTON (AP) - A spokesman for Senate Republicans' campaign arm says Rep. Todd Akin is putting issues he cares about at risk by staying in the Missouri Senate race and says Akin's "misguided" campaign will get no support from the group.

Akin has come under intense pressure to exit the race after saying women could prevent pregnancy in cases of "legitimate rape." But he reiterated plans Tuesday to continue his bid.

National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman Brian Walsh says the group continues to hope Akin "will do the right thing" and exit the race.

The NRSC previously told Akin it would drop $5 million in advertising it had planned for his race. Walsh reiterated that threat Tuesday.

Walsh says Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill stands to gain from Akin staying continuing his campaign.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Earlier story:

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Rep. Todd Akin says his fellow Republicans have overreacted to his comments that women's bodies can prevent pregnancies in case of "legitimate rape."

Akin told former GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee on Huckabee's radio show Tuesday that he hasn't done anything morally or ethically wrong, but got a "word in the wrong place."

He says his party's growing pleas for him to abandon his bid against incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill seem like "a little bit of an overreaction."

Akin's trying to salvage his once-promising bid against McCaskill in a race long targeted by the GOP as crucial to regaining Senate control.

But the six-term legislator from suburban St. Louis has faced growing calls to leave the race and the apparent loss of millions of dollars in campaign advertising money.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)