ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - St. Louis County Congressman Todd Akin has a new defender: former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Sunday, on NBC’s Meet the Press, Gingrich said Todd Akin, now the Missouri Republican U.S. Senate candidate, is the choice of the people of Missouri.

Last week, Akin won more support when Rick Tyler, a longtime Gingrich aide, joined Akin’s campaign.

While most Republican leaders are saying Akin should leave the Senate race, Akin drew the support Saturday of conservative St. Louis activist Phyllis Schlafly. Schlafly called Karl Rove’s comment about Akin, “the most malicious remark ever made in Republican politics.”

Schlafly says it’s Rove who should step down.