Wendy Davis’ Political Prospects, Weiner’s Sexting Partner Cashes In, and More

Davis Deciding:

What does the future hold for Wendy Davis, the Democratic state senator in Texas who rose to national prominence after filibustering an extremely restrictive abortion bill for more than 10 hours earlier this year? Based on what Davis told the National Press Club at an event Monday, it includes either a re-election campaign to the Senate or a run to become governor of the Lone Star State in 2014. Davis has reportedly met with the Democratic Governors Association in recent weeks. A run for Texas’ top post could definitely provide some challenges for Davis, however, as polls show her trailing Attorney General Greg Abbott, the Republican who is favored to succeed retiring Gov. Rick Perry in the (very) red state. (Read more)

See What Happens: Rick Perry may want to sharpen his speaking skills if he’s planning to run for president again in 2016. Perry tried out a new pair of glasses over the weekend during the RedState conservative blogging conference, but if he was hoping the specs would help him avoid making any gaffes—they have become kind of his thing, after all—he found out that answer the hard way. While touting his home state of Texas, Perry said, “There are many other states that embrace those conservative values, the approach we’ve taken over the years. I’m in one today–Florida.” But actually—he wasn’t. As someone in the crowd shouted to the failed 2012 Republican presidential candidate: “We’re in Louisiana.” Oops! (Read more)

Gun Control, Take Two: The Senate failed to pass a weapons background check this spring, but that’s not likely to be the end of that issue. Harry Reid said Thursday that Congress will likely take up background checks again in 2014, according to a spokeswoman for the Senate majority leader. She said Reid was “almost certain” that the matter would be revisited then. The comment comes after Gov. Brian Sandoval of Nevada—Reid’s home state—vetoed a bill that would have required background checks on every gun sale. A new measure could be introduced in the Silver State in 2015 if Congress again fails to act. (Read more)

Weinergate Tape: What do you do in America when your 15 minutes of fame are up and you want to extend/make money off of it? Why, you take off your clothes and star in a sex tape, of course! Which is almost exactly what Sydney Leathers, the sexting partner of Carlos Danger Anthony Weiner, did (with a few modifications). Though she skips partner sex, Leathers masturbates in the buff and discusses raunchy online exploits she had with the beleaguered New York City mayoral candidate instead. At least, that’s what’s purported to be in the video, which was released Monday by adult media company Vivid Entertainment. Leathers says her sexting relationship with Weiner lasted several months. “That came out in the press, so here I am!” Yes, because there are no steps between sexting with a married politician and starring in porn evidently. (Read more)

Sex Therapy and the City: And speaking of sex scandals involving politicians, embattled San Diego Mayor Bob Filner has reportedly checked in to a behavior counseling clinic to undergo intensive therapy for two weeks amid multiple sexual harassment complaints lodged against him. The mayor is hoping that by doing so, he will subdue the calls for him to resign, though that’s unlikely. A 10th woman came forward over the weekend to accuse the mayor of sexual misconduct. (Read more)

Video of the Day: If you’re a politician and you cite your party’s Six-Point Plan in response to a question, you should be prepared to list all of the points in the plan (or even name one of them). That’s a lesson someone probably should have told Jaymes Diaz, who is running for a parliamentary seat in Australia for the Liberal Party. Diaz noted the party’s plan during an interview with a reporter, but when pressed for specifics, he failed to deliver any. Even Rick Perry was able to name two of the three federal agencies he would have cut were he elected to the White House during that infamous GOP presidential debate.