U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-St. Louis

–  As gas prices rise and oil companies continue to profit, Democrats are blasting Republicans who support tax credits for the oil industry.

In particular, the Democratic Senatorial Committee went after Rep. Todd Akin, R-St. Louis, a likely candidate for U.S. Senate, for his support of tax credits for oil companies.

“Todd Akin is laying cozily in the pocket of Big Oil and protecting special multi-billion dollar tax giveaways to oil companies while Missouri families and businesses are paying sky-high gas prices.” said Matt Canter, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman. “While Big Oil companies reap nearly historic billion dollar profits, Missouri families are being squeezed by soaring gas prices.”

Akin, who polls best against McCaskill, trails her by just one point in the latest Public Policy Polling survey, well within the margin of error.

“Missouri families need a senator who will stand up for them, not a politician who takes $48,000 from the oil industry and then votes for special tax giveaways to their Big Oil cronies,” said Canter, who noted Akin has received over $40,000 in campaign contributions from the oil industry.

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, joined by Senator Robert Menendez, will likely introduce legislation to end the tax cuts, a Democratic source confirms to PoliticMo. The legislation is likely to come in the form of the “McCaskill-Menendez bill to end taxpayer subsidies to oil companies,” which she told an activist on Twitter will be introduced in the coming week.

Sarah Steelman or Ed Martin, both Republicans already running for Senate, have not spoken on this issue.  Neither campaign immediately responded to PoliticMo’s regarding their position on tax credits for oil companies.