Missouri Congressman Todd Akin on Friday held a news conference to confirm what his campaign has been saying all week: he will not pull out of the race for Claire McCaskill’s seat in the U.S. Senate.

Akin has come under fire from supporters within his own party, and many large national campaign donors, after televised comments last week made him the subject of news stories across the country.

Akin has since said he used the wrong words, and apologized for his comments about rape and pregnancy.

During a news conference Friday afternoon in St Louis County, Akin said he’s going to win in November:

“We’re going to be here through the November election and we’re going to be here to win. There may be some negotiations but they don’t include me,” he said.

Akin pointed out that he won by six points in the GOP primary, despite being outspent. He says he’s staying in because he was elected by the state’s Republicans.

“We try to just stick with what’s the right thing to do. This is an election, not a selection.”

Akin made a brief statement, and the took just five questions from the assembled media.