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Porn Star to Decide on Senate Run April 15

Stormy Daniels may soon find out if sex and politics mix.

The deadline day for filing federal tax returns also will be the day Baton-Rouge-born porn star announces whether she will run for the Senate seat held by David Vitter, a Republican.

Brian Welsh, her political spokesman, said in an e-mail Tuesday that Daniels will make her announcement April 15. Welsh says Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, believes the timing will highlight the need for tax reform.

While Daniels continues to promote her adult entertainment ventures and personal appearances online, she has said nothing publicly about the race since summer. She formed a committee to explore a possible Senate race in May 2009 after a series of public appearances.

The porn star hasn't declared a party affiliation. John Sutherlin, a political science professor at the University of Louisiana, told CBS Radio News that he thinks Daniels will run as an independent though he said in her case party affiliation doesn't really matter.

"Stormy Daniels' candidacy remains sort of a trick or a ploy anyway," Sutherlin told CBS Radio News.

The campaign began as a grassroots movement on the Internet after Vitter's phone number was found in the black book of the so-called "D.C. Madam."

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