A quirky New York congressional candidate has released a 13-minute porn tape featuring himself to highlight one of his three campaign issues: sex positivity.
A local online publication called it a “grunt for attention.”
Independent candidate Mike Itkis, a 53-year-old cybersecurity expert, is running far behind longtime Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler in Manhattan’s 12th Congressional District.
His key “sex positivity” goals include legalizing sex work and protecting sexual rights. He also supports cybersecurity and ending the war in Ukraine. And that’s about it.
“If I ... just talk about” sex positivity, it “wouldn’t demonstrate my commitment to the issue,” Itkis told local political digital publication City & State. “The fact I actually did” the video was a “huge learning experience, and it actually influenced items on my platform.”
Itkis made the tape last year with porn performer Nicole Sage. “Bucket List Bonanza,” which he posted on a popular online porn site, was his first time having sex on camera, he said.
It was “one of the most meaningful experiences” of his life, he said in a statement to The Forward.
Itkis insisted he’s not an exhibitionist but “kind of a nerd who doesn’t like to be the center of attention if I can avoid it. But … I wanted to have my issues talked about in some way.”
He’s not married, has no kids, is “not celibate” and is an atheist, according to his campaign website. He said he doesn’t believe men should be required to support biological children unless there’s a prior agreement. He doesn’t address birth control on his website.
The Nadler campaign declined to comment.
Itkis’ Republican opponent, Mike Zumbluska, observed: “You gotta do what you gotta do.”