The poll, conducted Wednesday, showed Akin favored by 38percentt of likely voters, while McCaskill had 48percentt support -- the first time any poll has shown McCaskill ahead since May.
The numbers from Rasmussen are in sharp contrast with a poll taken Monday by the Democratic firm PPP, which showed Akin still ahead by a point a day after he said women were unlikely to become pregnant from "legitimate rape".
Two years ago, extreme conservatives like Akin did badly in general-election votes in many statewide races, and yet this fall, even after the debacle of his rape comments, which led to Akin's excommunication by Romney and the leading Republican Super-PAC purse-holders, polls show Akin in a virtual tie with the Democratic incumbent, Senator Claire McCaskill.
These scenery-chewing shows, akin to British pantomime or Italian commedia dell'arte, often recreated the story of the biblical Book of Esther (known as the Megillah, and the basis for the annual Purim holiday), and included elements of circus, puppetry and other carnival-like entertainment.
The latest polling shows Akin with a lead of one percentage point over McCaskill, and a number of Republicans, including Rick Santorum, Jim DeMint and Newt Gingrich, have come out in support of Akin in recent weeks.
Early signs from data for industrial production and world trade in late 2008 showed declines akin to those during the first months of the Great Depression.
The first opinion poll after the controversy showed Mr Akin's 11-point lead over Ms McCaskill all but vanishing.The reverberations will be felt beyond Missouri.
Apple loyalists might consider selling Windows software at a Macintosh trade show akin to a Hatfield's showing up at a McCoy family reunion.
A civilized murmur frequently marked the show, akin to a display of life's grays that might erupt when Charlie Rose invites academics to the table.
She has gone on to do live red-carpet reporting at the Oscars for Sky TV and to be part of a morning show akin to "The View".
Animal Planet, Oct. 21 at 10. STYLISTA Looking to make a reality show akin to the movie "The Devil Wears Prada," this show takes a group of contestants and puts them to work for Anne Slowey, the fashion news director of Elle magazine.
