DENVER >> Meet the newest campaign issue for House Democrats: Todd Akin.

From Colorado to New Hampshire to Illinois, Democrats already are using the incendiary comments about rape made by the Missouri congressman and Republican Senate candidate as a political bludgeon. In interviews, news releases and tweets, they’ve blasted Akin for saying victims of “legitimate rape” are able to naturally prevent pregnancy and tried to tie their opponents to legislation he’s supported.

Those moves might only be the beginning, as Akin has so far refused to drop out of the race despite pleas from top Republicans, including GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, and the widespread condemnation of his remarks.

“People are disgusted and appalled,” said Joe Miklosi, a Democratic congressional candidate in suburban Denver, who began tying his opponent, GOP Rep. Mike Coffman, to Akin within hours of learning about his comments this past Sunday.

Miklosi sent a tweet that read, “Mike Coffman and Todd Akin have been fighting side by side against women in Congress,” and posted a video online included footage of Akin praising Coffman on the House floor.

Coffman responded by calling for Akin to leave the race and decrying his rape comments as “wrong, inappropriate and hurtful to women across the country.”

It’s a scene repeated in House races nationwide, as Akin’s comments on rape are playing a role in more than dozen House races in battleground states — particularly those in which the incumbents joined Akin last year in co-sponsoring a resolution that would have redefined rape as “forcible rape.”

Most Democrats and women’s groups objected to such language, because it suggested there are different severities of rape.

In New Hampshire, Annie Kuster rapped one of the Democrats’ top targets, GOP Rep. Charlie Bass, saying she was “disappointed” Bass hadn’t yet called for Akin to leave the Senate race. Bass quickly did so. In Illinois, another Democratic challenger, Cheri Bustos, called on her opponent, GOP Rep. Bobby Schilling, to return a $2,000 donation from Akin. Schilling did so and issued a statement expressing his disgust with Akin’s remarks.

“As a father, a husband and a close friend to people who have been scarred by the evils of rape, I could never stand with someone who said something so contrary to our basic human values,” he said.

In Wisconsin, Democrat Pat Kreitlow had made an issue of GOP Rep. Sean Duffy’s support for legislation defining “forcible rape” even before Akin’s comments. That criticism now has new life, Kreitlow said.

“People are simply amazed there are elected officials who would take these positions, to redefine rape,” he said. “We were hearing about it in Wisconsin before Akin said this, and of course we’re hearing a lot more about it now.”

Duffy, meanwhile, followed the path of other Republicans in calling for Akin to drop his Missouri Senate bid and repudiating his comments.