During a debate for the US Senate in Indiana on Tuesday, GOP candidate Richard Mourdock stirred outrage by saying he considers pregnancies occuring after a women's rape a "gift from God."

"I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realize that life is that gift from God. And, I think, even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen," Mourdock said.

Mourdock's comment was quickly likened to those made recently by GOP senate candidate from Missouri Todd Akin who said that "legitimate rape" rarely leads to pregnancy.

Mourdock defeated longtime US Senator Dick Lugar in Indiana's Republican primary this year and the Tea Party-backed candidate now faces Democratic challenger Congressman Joe Donnelly for the seat.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has endorsed Mourdock and released this video, which began airing in Indiana on Monday:

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