Day After Primary, U.S. Senate Race Kicks into Gear

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) is not sparing any time attempting to define her newly anointed Republican rival.

A day after Missouri Republicans nominated U.S. Rep. Todd Akin to challenge her in November, Sen. McCaskill -- one of the most vulnerable Democrats up for reelection in the country -- launched a website to to denounce Akin as too "extreme" or Missouri.

The website -- TruthAboutAkin.com -- features videos of Akin touting his support of Medicare vouchers, ending federal involvement in student loans, and his opposition to the minimum wage.

"What voters want right now is for candidates to be honest about where they stand, so we're letting Todd Akin speak for himself," said Erik Dorey, a spokesman for the McCaskill campaign.

Akin secured a strong victory among Republicans Tuesday night, besting John Brunner and Sarah Steelman by six points.

Read More: Akin Trumps Steelman, Brunner in Race to Unseat Sen. McCaskill

Sen. McCaskill hit the campaign trail Wednesday with a stop at Standard Sheet Metal in Kansas City. The McCaskill campaign said the new website, coupled with her time on the trail, is an effort to counter the millions spent against her in the primary by candidates and outside groups.

After nearly a month of on-air silence during the primary, the Republican super-PAC Crossroads GPS -- on of the top outside spending groups -- launched a new television commercial targeting Sen. McCaskill.

The 30-second spot accuses McCaskill of supporting tax increases, attempting to tie her to manufacturing job loss in the state.

"Who really creates jobs? small-business or big government," the ad asks. "Claire McCaskill sides with government."

The new ad, backed by a $874,000 buy, will run for a week statewide.