The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Daily Review with Clay and Buck - Feb 10, 2026
Date: February 10, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show tackles major political, economic, and cultural stories across America, focusing on state fiscal crises (especially California), blue state versus red state migration, the impact of COVID-era remote work on the relocation of wealth, and the fallout for the 2030 census. The hosts also dive into high taxes, public service inefficiencies, and ongoing gubernatorial races, highlighted by an in-depth conversation with Steve Hilton, Republican candidate for California governor. The second half of the episode features Senator Bill Hagerty discussing alleged government overreach, corporate complicity, and 2026 Senate race dynamics. The show closes with an extended and humorous debate about the greatest movies of the 1980s.

Key Discussion Points & Timestamps

1. The California Exodus & State Fiscal Policy

[02:13 - 18:45]

• Migration of Wealth:
  The hosts highlight a trend of billionaires and top earners leaving California for states like Florida, Texas, and Tennessee to escape high taxes and government inefficiency. Real-world examples include Mark Zuckerberg's move to Miami.
• Tax Policies & Governance:
  Buck contrasts states: "Florida’s a bit bigger, about 2 million more [people than New York], but New York’s government costs over twice as much as Florida’s. You have lived in both places. Which do you think is the better and more efficient government?" ([10:16])
  • Buck: “This place is run under Ron DeSantis like there are adults in charge who understand math and also know that they’re supposed to serve the people. The sense you get, especially in New York City, is you are like a cow to be milked.” – [11:06]
• Predictions for the 2030 Census:
  Clay argues that the political map is about to fundamentally shift.
  • Clay: “You’re going to be unable to get elected president without winning red states. Once the 2030 census is put in place, that blue wall doesn’t exist anymore. The pathway of winning Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin — it doesn't exist.” – [13:26]

2. Blue States: Unsustainable Spending & Public Service Failures

[13:58 - 19:46]

• Priorities of Blue State Governments:
  Buck: “Their first obligation… is to make sure that the massive welfare payments continue. They'll cut fire and police before they'll cut giving people free stuff, because the people with the free stuff vote for them, right?” – [13:58]
• School System Dysfunction:
  Buck describes NYC public schools as “daycare for unruly kids... It’s not about resources.” – [15:14]
• State Budget Vulnerabilities:
  “California’s budget projections take into account the billionaires continuing to pay a lot... They can’t afford their state budget without Silicon Valley.” – [16:50]

3. Interview: Steve Hilton, Republican Candidate for Governor of California

[19:46 - 35:47]

The Billionaires Exodus, Tax Madness & The Primary System

• Impact of Proposed ‘Billionaires Tax’:
  Steve Hilton: “…Before they even get it on the ballot…already caused $1 trillion of wealth to leave the state…In the name of raising more money, they've already lost billions of dollars in tax revenue.” – [20:48]
• California’s ‘Top Two’ Primary Risks:
  Hilton warns of the risk that Republicans could be locked out of the general election if they split their vote: “Right now, there’s a possibility you’ll end up with two Democrats in the top two, which would be an absolute travesty.” – [22:56]
• Specific Critique of Challenger:
  Hilton on Chad Bianco: “This guy took a knee for BLM ... We can't go into the election with a candidate with that much baggage.” – [24:06]
• Optimism for a ‘California Revolution’:
  “This year is going to be the California Revolution because we just can’t go on like this.” – [28:11]

California’s Broken Energy and Tax System

• Spiking Energy Costs:
  Hilton: “Electric bills have more than doubled in the last 10 years. We have the highest electric bills in the country, everywhere except Hawaii. [It’s] driven by their insane climate crusade.” – [26:48]
• Punitive Athlete Tax:
  “Sam Darnold…ended up losing money for winning the Super Bowl because of this ridiculous tax in California based on the number of days he was in the state. I mean, what are we trying to do, just drive people away?” – [29:54]

Budget Shell Games & Fraud

• California’s Deficit Reality:
  Hilton: “He actually went into this budget round with an $18 billion deficit...taking money from the reserves...to plug the hole in this ballooning spending that is actually not even delivering results.” – [32:26]
• Fraud Exposure:
  “From the tips coming in, we’ve made an estimate that we have $250 billion cumulative of fraud just in the last five or so in California.” – [33:31]

Call to Action

• Voting starts mid-April; Hilton urges Republicans to consolidate support early.

4. Interview: Senator Bill Hagerty (Tennessee)

[36:52 - 50:57]

Government Overreach & Verizon Phone Records

• Alleged Weaponization & Corporate Compliance:
  Hagerty describes the DOJ and Verizon’s actions as political “weaponization,” and details Verizon’s compliance in providing phone records without proper notification.
  • “If they would do this to a sitting senator…what would they do to the rest of their customers?” – [39:06]
• Corporate Leadership Bias:
  “Verizon’s chief legal officer is a former staffer for Henry Waxman…one of the most partisan Democrats from California.” – [37:52]

Media Consolidation & Senate Landscape

• Concerns Over Streaming Mergers:
  Hagerty: “We ought to be asking some very serious questions here about the degree and the extent of control that might be the result of this type of merger [Netflix, Warner Bros]." – [42:31]
• Senate Race Optimism:
  He assesses races in Michigan, Maine, New Hampshire, and Georgia with optimism about Republican chances in 2026.
• Voter ID & Census Questions:
  • On Voter ID: “This is popular with more than 80% of the public…You should be a US citizen to vote.” – [47:14]
  • On Illegals in Census: “Those votes should be moving to states that are growing like ours in Tennessee.” – [49:24]

5. Culture & 1980s Movie Debate

[52:22 - 63:55]

• Nostalgic Movie Discussion:
  • Buck controversially advocates for Beverly Hills Cop as a top 10 movie of the ‘80s, drawing spirited debate and comic banter between hosts.
  • Clay and Buck rattle off iconic hits: Back to the Future, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Die Hard, Ghostbusters, Caddyshack.
  • Memorable moment:
    • Buck: “Only a nerd thinks the Star Wars movies are better than Beverly Hills Cop…Come on.” – [53:34]
    • Clay: "Back to the Future is nearly a perfect movie, like, almost a perfectly constructed movie."– [59:34]
• Pop Culture Sidebar:
  A humorous and nostalgic detour lightens the tone, culminating in comparing box office figures and rankings for 1980s films.

Notable Quotes

• Buck on state governance:

  "The sense you get, especially in New York City, is you are like a cow to be milked. You are not a citizen. You are not there to be provided services by the government. You are the provider of the services with your labor. You are to be worked. You are a very highly paid serf." – Buck Sexton [11:06]

• Clay on future political shifts:

  "You're going to be unable to get elected president of the United States without winning red states... the pathway of winning Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin—it doesn't exist anymore." – Clay Travis [13:26]

• Steve Hilton on California’s crisis:

  "Before they even get it on the ballot, which they're trying to do, [the billionaire tax] has already caused $1 trillion of wealth to leave the state." – Steve Hilton [20:48]

• Hilton advocating ‘California Revolution’:

  "This year is going to be the California Revolution because we just can’t go on like this." – Steve Hilton [28:11]

• Sen. Hagerty on privacy abuse:

  "If they would do this to a sitting senator…what would they do to the rest of their customers?" – Sen. Bill Hagerty [39:06]

Noteworthy Segments & Timestamps

• [02:13] — Opening headlines and setup on California’s issues, Zuckerberg moving to Miami
• [13:26] — Political implications of state population shifts for 2030 census
• [19:46] — Interview with Steve Hilton begins
• [26:48] — Hilton on California energy costs
• [32:26] — State budget and fraud analysis
• [36:52] — Interview with Senator Bill Hagerty begins
• [39:06] — Privacy concerns and government overreach
• [42:31] — Discussion of media mergers
• [47:14] — Voter ID and census reform positions
• [52:22] — Lighthearted debate/discussion about greatest ‘80s movies
• [53:34] — Debate on Beverly Hills Cop versus other ‘80s classics

Tone & Style

The episode is classic Clay & Buck: fast-paced, conversational, intensely critical of progressive policies but laced with sarcasm, humor, and periodic pop culture references.

Summary

This episode delivers comprehensive analysis about state-level policy divergence in America, with a focus on California’s descent into fiscal unsustainability, escalating tax and energy costs, and mass outmigration of the wealthy. Interviews with Steve Hilton and Senator Bill Hagerty flesh out the political and procedural challenges facing Republicans in 2026. The hosts balance policy critique with light, relatable banter over 80s pop culture, highlighting the unique mix of intelligence, irreverence, and humor that defines the show.