Republican Tea Party (GOTP) U.S. Senate candidate Richard Mourdock’s declared he opposes aborting pregnancies conceived in rape because “it is something that God intended to happen.”

Mourdock’s astounding assertion came during a debate against Democratic opponent Congressman Joe Donnelly in their final Senate race showdown, a questioner asked them and Libertarian candidate Andrew Horning to explain their views on abortion.

All three said they were anti-abortion. But Mourdock went further, “The only exception I have to have an abortion is in the case of the life of the mother,” he said. “I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realize life is that gift from God. I think that even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen.”

While his campaign issued a statement allegedly claiming GOTP presidential wannabe Willard Mitt Romney disagrees with Mourdock’s comments, and they don’t reflect his views, Romney has yet to comment.

Mourdock later tried to clarify his comments, saying God does not intend sexual assaults.

“God creates life, and that was my point,” he mewed in a statement. “God does not want rape, and by no means was I suggesting that He does. Rape is a horrible thing, and for anyone to twist my words otherwise is absurd and sick.”

“Richard Mourdock’s disturbing comment about rape is a window into Mourdock’s extreme view of the world,” said Shripal Shah, spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. “Indiana can’t afford to send a self-proclaimed ‘zealot’ and Tea Partier like Richard Mourdock to the Senate.”

It’s fascinating how often GOTP candidates have stepped all over themselves – especially this year – regarding abortion and rape. It’s equally fascinating how quickly they feel they need to “clarify” statements like, “I think that even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen.” There’s no way to clarify that, it’s pretty clear, Mourdock’s an idiot. Hopefully these types of extremists will soon be sent packing and the Tea Party will be relegated to the dust bin of political history it belongs.