BALLWIN, Mo. (AP) - Supporters of Planned Parenthood have delivered petitions with 40,000 signatures to the office Republican Missouri Congressman Todd Akin, expressing anger and outrage over comments he made about rape.

About a dozen advocates and supporters of Planned Parenthood gathered at Akin’s district congressional office in suburban St. Louis on Wednesday to deliver the petitions. Akin aide Steve Taylor collected them and invited five of the protesters in for a face-to-face meeting.

Steve Taylor, aide to Congressman Todd Akin with Planned Parenthood’s M’Evie Mead

Akin, the Republican nominee in the Senate race, has been at the center of criticism since an Aug. 19 TV interview in which he said that in cases of what he called “legitimate” rape, a woman’s body is able prevent pregnancy. He has since apologized many times for the word “legitimate” and said his facts about preventing conception were wrong.

The petition denounced Akin’s comments, but stopped short of calling for him to drop out of the Senate race.  Akin, who was not present, has said he intends to stay in the race “for the long haul.”

Taylor read a statement saying Akin apologizes for the comments he made that were “hurtful and medically wrong,” but does not apologize for his “ardent pro-life principles.”