Missouri TV stations are dropping Missouri Rep. Todd Akin's campaign ads because he hasn't paid for them, KMOX reports. "KOMU-TV in Columbia says it received half of the payment for an ad buy, and when it didn’t get the other half, it cancelled the rest of the ads," the CBS affiliate reports. "The station says it's confirmed that other stations from St. Louis to Kansas City have been put in the same position." It looks like a sign that Akin hasn't been able to raise enough money to sustain his campaign since his "legitimate rape" controversy.

Akin's campaign told KOMU that the TV payment was coming, and Akin's website posted a response to the story saying it was "factually wrong and misleading." It quotes Akin's son Perry, who is also his campaign manager, saying, "Our television buyers have paid for every ad that has aired and even bought more ad time today… We are still on the air across Missouri. However, we will not be doing any more business with KOMU-TV because they have lied."

The Senate candidate's campaign has lost the backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, as well as the American Crossroads super PAC, after Akin said women couldn't get pregnant if they were really raped. Republican leaders have pledged Akin will get no help. NRSC communications director Brian Walsh tweeted an attack on Akin's opponent, Sen. Claire McCaskill, Friday. When NBC News' Chuck Todd noticed, Walsh said he was just noting "Democrats' failed predictions," but deleted the original tweet.

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Elspeth Reeve