Buffalo, NY (WBEN) One political science professor thinks the comments made by Todd Akin on abortion and rape could not have come at a worse time for Mitt Romney and the GOP campaign. Peter Yacobucci of Buffalo State College believes this could impact the women's vote, which he says was key in President Obama's victory ago four years ago.

"The Akin viewpoint concerning the difference between rape and forcible rape, and the limitation of abortion rights even in cases of rape and incest are not popular with the general populous and women," says Yacobucci. 

Yacobucci considers the presidential election as 50 separate races, and one state could be key to Romney's victory. "The one state the Romney campaign needs to win is Florida, where there are a lot of women, and this will not help the campaign at all," notes Yacobucci. 

Yacobucci notes the Republicans have recently started to narrow the gender gap, but this incident may once again widen it. "The women's vote was key in 2008. If the women's vote wasn't there, John McCain would be president," says Yacobucci. "The women's vote will be key again this year. The difference has declined a bit, but this controversy will draw independent women voters away from Romney to Obama."