Roll Call: “If Rep. Todd Akin (R) does drop his Missouri Senate bid within the next 24 hours, as the GOP establishment is pressuring him to do, at least his timing will be impeccable. Missouri state law allows a nominated candidate to withdraw his or her bid for office by 5 p.m. on the 11th Tuesday before the election which, as it turns out, is tomorrow. If Akin does drop his bid before tomorrow’s deadline, the state’s GOP central committee would pick his replacement.”

If he doesn’t drop out then but drops out later? ” If for some reason Akin does not drop his bid by tomorrow’s deadline, he could withdraw via a court order as late as Sept. 25. In that case, state law would require Akin to cover any costs for reprinting ballots and again, the central committee would select a substitute candidate.”

Later than Sept. 25?  That comes an interesting question.  Remember the Torricelli conflict?  I’ve written about the controversial New Jersey Supreme Court opinion allowing a substitution of Torricelli with Lautenberg later than the period set forth in the statute.  See here.