On this week’s edition of WFAA-TV’s Inside Texas Politics, I talked with host Jason Whitely and Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporter Bud Kennedy about Gov. Rick Perry‘s appearance last week on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and his continuing signals that he’s at least exploring another run for president; the runoff prospects for state Rep. Dan Branch in the attorney general’s race against state Sen. Ken Paxton, and incumbent David Dewhurst in the lieutenant governor’s contest against Tea Party favorite state Sen. Dan Patrick; gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis‘ hiring of a new communications director that seems to signal a turn to offense; the down-ballot runoff for agriculture commissioner on the Democratic side featuring two candidates — Jim Hogan and Kinky Friedman — who could represent the Democrats’ best hope for a statewide win in November; and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz‘s support of Konni Burton in the SD-10 runoff, which could be all she needs to emerge as the next Tea Party state senator.

Also: Separate interviews with U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Rockwall, running for his 18th term in Congress, and his runoff opponent, former U.S. Attorney and Heath Mayor John Ratcliffe; an interview with Cari Christman, head of the newly formed Red State Women PAC; Putin, Obama and geopolitics; and Toronto Mayor Rob Ford shoots lasers from his eyes.