Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 1 - Does Curtis Want Zohran to Win?
Date: October 22, 2025
Hosts: Clay Travis & Buck Sexton
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

Overview

This episode, broadcast live from Fort Wayne, Indiana, dives into tumultuous political races in New York City, Virginia, and New Jersey, with a particular focus on the chaos of the NYC mayoral campaign, the controversy around candidate Curtis Sliwa's persistence in the race, and broader reflections on Democratic Party positions regarding transgender issues and women’s sports. The discussion balances a mix of analysis, audience interaction, and some notable lighthearted analogies, maintaining the show’s characteristic blend of humor and political commentary.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. New York City Mayoral Race Turmoil

• Curtis Sliwa's Refusal to Drop Out:
  • There’s widespread intrigue and debate over activist/politician Curtis Sliwa’s decision to stay in the NYC mayoral race, despite polling with no real shot at victory and pressure from various sides to bow out.
  • Sliwa insists:

    "I am not dropping out. Under no circumstance." (20:11)

  • Money and incentives have been offered for him to withdraw, but Sliwa claims he rejected them, prompting Buck to ask whether such offers are even legal.
• Strategic Calculations and Accusations:
  • Clay speculates about Curtis's motives:

    "...If you want Momdani to be mayor...then you should stay in the race. And maybe he wants Momdani to be mayor..." (21:36)

  • Discussion of the possibility that Sliwa’s continued campaign might simply help the far-left candidate, Momdani, defeat more centrist Andrew Cuomo.
• Implications for National Politics:
  • Clay asserts that a Momdani victory could serve as a cautionary tale highlighting Democratic extremism, potentially benefiting Republicans in future state and national races.
  • He uses a memorable analogy:

    "...Would you rather step in gum or poop? ...Momdani is poop and Cuomo is gum. And most people would rather step in gum than step in poop..." (28:01)

2. Virginia & National Politics: Transgender Issues and Electoral Battlegrounds

• Abigail Spanberger’s hedging on transgender sports and bathroom access is analyzed as emblematic of Democrats dodging difficult cultural issues.
  • Buck critiques her lack of concrete answers:

    "She doesn't really stand for very much other than abortion...And on any tough questions, she just talks in circles..." (05:04)

  • Buck’s frustration with the framing of female safety concerns as "fear mongering" rather than policy discussion:

    "It's always about concern and courtesy for the feelings of the trans community or trans individuals. And...they always ignore the concerns, the feelings and even the safety...of women and girls..." (06:51)

• Personal Story: Sam Ponder’s Tweet
  • Clay highlights a tweet by Sam Ponder (ex-ESPN) about her daughter’s middle school basketball game against a trans-identifying boy, sparking broader conversation about fairness in women’s and girls’ sports.
  • Buck’s admiration for her stance:

    "First of all, that's—I had not heard of Sam Ponder before—that's well said, that's eloquent." (10:46)

3. Democratic Chaos: Nazi Tattoo Controversy in Maine

• The hosts flag a bizarre incident in a Maine Senate primary where Democrat Graham Platner reportedly had a Nazi tattoo, later covered up, igniting further intra-party chaos and criticism.

4. Listener Calls and Pushback

• Heated Listener Calls:
  • Audience member "Valentine" tells Clay:

    "Clay, you're such an ass. You really are. Stay out of New York politics. You know nothing about it." (31:45)

• Jacqueline from Brooklyn:
  • Argues that Curtis Sliwa is being underrated and questions the polling, lambasting Clay’s analysis:

    "I am thoroughly disgusted with everyone that is saying the same thing that you are saying..." (34:43)

• Clay’s Playful Acknowledgement:
  • Clay shrugs off blame assigned by passionate callers, quipping:

    "I appreciate Jacqueline believing that I control the outcome..." (38:21)

5. Overarching Themes and Tone

• Persistent skepticism about the electability of moderate/Republican candidates in deep blue NYC.
• Humor is used as a coping mechanism for the dire political choices (‘gum vs poop’).
• The importance of speaking plainly on contentious issues rather than offering evasive 'gobbledegook'.
• Frustration with institutional feminism's silence or complicity regarding trans inclusion at the expense of biological women in sports and safety debates.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Buck (on Spanberger’s position):

  "I don't want a lecture about courtesy from somebody who lacks the courage to have any convictions." (07:38)

• Clay (on inclusion/exclusion in girls' sports):

  "Inclusion becomes exclusion at some point. So when you are including a boy who's pretending to be a girl, you are excluding a girl." (08:55)

• Clay (re: NYC choices):

  "Would you rather step in gum or poop? ...Momdani is poop and Cuomo is gum." (28:01)

• Buck (on the likelihood of a Sliwa win):

  "Sliwa winning would be the biggest shock election win by the numbers of all time. I don’t know..." (33:38)

• Clay, fielding criticism:

  "I appreciate Jacqueline believing that I control the outcome of the New York City mayors race..." (38:21)

• Buck (on San Francisco's decline):

  "It took San Francisco having a human feces map so that people could avoid areas where there was so much human feces on the streets." (33:38)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• NYC Mayoral Race Chaos and Curtis Sliwa's Refusal to Drop Out:
  [20:11–22:00; 24:44–28:33]
• Debate over the Effects of Sliwa Remaining in the Race:
  [21:36–24:44; 28:33–31:45]
• Listener Calls and NYC Polling Disputes:
  [31:45–38:02]
• Virginia/Spanberger and Transgender Sports Debate:
  [04:22–13:16]
• Sam Ponder's Personal Story & Buck’s Reaction:
  [09:55–10:46]
• Feminist Organizations & Silence on Trans Sports Fairness:
  [13:16–16:17]
• Comparison to San Francisco & National Political Implications:
  [33:38–34:43]

Conclusion

This hour of the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show provides a lively, at times irreverent, analysis of urban and national political races, sharp criticism of Democratic hedging on cultural and safety issues, and heated interaction with a passionate audience. The show’s engagement with calls and willingness to air (and debate) opposing views underscores its role as a forum for political argument as much as commentary. The big question—"Does Curtis want Zohran (Mamdani) to win?"—remains a proxy for larger anxieties about political purity tests, party discipline, and the future of major American cities.