ELK GROVE VILLAGE – Republican U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh of Illinois backtracked slightly on his controversial remarks about abortion, saying Friday that there are “very rare circumstances” in which a pregnant woman may need to undergo an abortion to save her life.

The comment stood in contrast to the ``tea party’’ icon’s declaration following a Thursday night debate that medical advances had rendered it unnecessary to ever perform an abortion to save a mother’s life.

The remark caused a hue and cry among abortion rights supporters, medical professionals and Democratic foe Tammy Duckworth, who sought to capitalize on the controversy as her campaign highlighted it in a fundraising email.