New York politician makes porn video to promote his campaign
New York, New York - To promote his "sex positive" platform, congressional candidate Mike Itkis has made and released a 13-minute online sex tape titled Bucket List Bonanza.
What might be a career-ending move for most politicians could be the jump-start for this third-party candidate.
The 53-year-old produced the homemade porn with adult film performer Nicole Sage as a "conversation piece" and released it on PornHub, where it reportedly has over 88,000 views and a 41% rating.
The Army cyber operations officer is running against incumbent Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler in Manhattan’s 12th Congressional District and says he is passionate about decriminalizing and legalizing sex work.
"If I would just talk about it, it wouldn’t demonstrate my commitment to the issue," he told City & State. "The fact I actually did it was a huge learning experience, and it actually influenced items on my platform."
Sage referenced the video with screenshots in on her Instagram on Friday, along with a comment from a colleague calling her "a true icon."
"No one is forcing me to be here. I am not under the influence of drugs or alcohol," she says in the PornHub video, which outlines the pair's consent, boundaries, and a safe word.
Mike Itkis made the sex tape to promote legalizing sex work
Itkis insists the video project did not come easily to him and is the first time he has had sex on camera.
"I’m very much an introvert" and "very liberal," the registered Democrat said.
"I’m kind of a nerd who doesn’t like to be the center of attention if I can avoid it. But I thought the issues I’m trying to address are so important… I wanted to have my issues talked about in some way," he explained.
Itkis' campaign site says he is "not married. No children. Not celibate. Atheist" and that he supports "ending adultery laws," is pro-abortion, and believes that "men should not be required to support biological children without prior agreement."
"I am a liberal with drastically different views, not one that marches in lockstep with the Democratic party," he said.
Cover photo: Collage: Instagram/thenicolesage & Pornhub/Mike Itkis