The Evening Brief: July 13, 2012

New in The Texas Tribune:

• Testimony Ends in Voter ID Trial, But Decision Could Be Far Off: "Testimony in the federal court trial over Texas' voter ID law ended Friday, but a decision on the law requiring a photo ID to cast a ballot may be far off."

• Mexico's Presidential Runner-Up Challenges Results: "The runner-up in Mexico’s presidential election announced Thursday that he will officially challenge the contest's results in court after alleging that the results were manipulated by vote-buying."

• To Try to Predict Perry's Future, Look to His Past: "Gov. Rick Perry looks like he is in office as long as voters will have him. He talks like he wants voters to keep him where he is, and he hasn't ruled out another run at the presidency. Many think he's just bluffing, but that's not how he has operated in the past."

• Report: Texas Jobs Near Public Transit, But Commuters Aren't: "A new report shows a growing disconnect between the number of jobs located near public transportation and the number of workers who can easily use it. And Texas metro areas are below the national averages for connectivity."

Culled:

• Democratic groups revive Rick Perry’s old attacks to demand that Mitt Romney release his tax returns (The Dallas Morning News): Two Democratic super PACs supporting President Barack Obama are taking full advantage of Rick Perry’s campaign stop Friday on behalf of Mitt Romney by releasing a web ad that re-purposes some GOP primary video of the Texan demanding the now all-but-official nominee to release his tax returns. 'Back in January, Rick Perry had some good advice for Mitt Romney,' says the web video posted Friday by American Bridge 21st Century and Priorities USA Action."

• Just 4 of 9 Texas House Democrats sign petition opposing Defense of Marriage Act (Houston Chronicle): "A majority of House Democrats have signed a brief to the Supreme Court opposing the Defense of Marriage Act (widely known as DOMA) — but not a majority of Texas Democrats. Only four of the state’s nine Democratic House members joined the 'friends of the court' brief. They were Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston, Lloyd Doggett of Austin, Charlie Gonzalez of San Antonio and Eddie Bernice Johnson of Dallas."

• Cornyn calls for FBI to release report on Fort Hood massacre (The Dallas Morning News): "Sen. John Cornyn asked Friday for an independent review of the FBI’s handling of the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood to be made public, in a letter to FBI Director Robert Mueller."

• Devine denies racial motivation in Medina challenge (Austin American-Statesman): "Texas Supreme Court candidate John Devine today denied making racially charged statements about his motives for challenging incumbent Justice David Medina. … 'Their tactics are nothing more than false claims of a desperate campaign that shamefully attempt to use the race card. I wholly deny their statements,' Devine said in a posting on his campaign’s Facebook page."