The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Hour 2 - Face of the Democrats

Date: November 3, 2025
Podcast Host: iHeartPodcasts
Featured Guest: Mark Simone (WOR New York)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton break down the political landscape ahead of major elections, focusing on the New York City mayoral race, New Jersey's gubernatorial contest, and the implications these races hold for national politics. They invite "Mr. New York" Mark Simone for deeper insight into local dynamics, poll skepticism, and the real-world consequences for Democrats if far-left candidates like Zorhan Mamdani gain power. Interwoven with their signature humor and cultural commentary, they touch on issues of public safety, societal trust, crime, and political polling ahead of Election Day.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Previewing Major Elections & National Implications

• Election Eve Energy: Clay and Buck discuss the atmosphere ahead of Election Day and the high-stakes nature of contests in New York and New Jersey.
• Introducing Mark Simone: Mark is brought in as the local expert to analyze regional nuances (01:04).

2. The Zorhan Mamdani Phenomenon & Democratic Identity Crisis

• Trump on Mamdani: They play clips from Donald Trump’s 60 Minutes interview, focusing on his branding of Mamdani as “communist, not socialist,” and the risk for Democrats embracing far-left figures (03:06).

  “He’s the communist. Not socialist, communist. He’s far, he’s far worse than a socialist.” — Donald Trump, clip played at [03:06]

• National Spotlight: Clay and Buck highlight that if Mamdani wins, he and AOC could become the national face of the Democratic Party, creating strategic challenges for candidates elsewhere (04:17).

  "Democrats are incredibly nervous about the idea of Mamdani being the face of the Democrat Party..." — Buck Sexton [04:17]

• Outstate Dynamics: The hosts break down how regions outside NYC are politically closer to the South than commonly presumed, with unexpected support for Republicans in upstate New York and rural Pennsylvania (05:31).

3. Deep-Dive: New York & New Jersey Races

With Mark Simone ([23:15])

• New Jersey Governor: Mark explains the closeness of the NJ race, skepticism of public polling, and why Cittarelli has a real shot if Republicans turn out. He interprets Obama’s late campaign rally as panic from Democrats (23:48).

  "If Republicans in New Jersey show up big on election day, Cittarelli can win. They are really, really nervous about that." — Buck Sexton [06:16] "It looks like it's deadlocked... they never go three terms with any one party. So they're due for a Republican switch now." — Mark Simone [23:48]

• NYC Mayoral Turnout: Mark notes an unprecedented voter turnout—over 2 million—which muddies polling models and may benefit outsiders or first-time voters energized by Mamdani (25:44).

  "Last time we saw a turnout like this was like 60 years ago. John Lindsay." — Mark Simone [25:44]

4. Is “Fleeing New York” Real If a Far-Left Mayor Wins?

• Potential NYC Exodus: Clay references a New York Post report on nearly a million New Yorkers "ready to flee" if Mamdani wins. Mark tempers this, citing past outflows under Cuomo and suggesting migration may be slower than feared (26:33).

  "If there is, then Mamdani at least will get credit for solving the traffic problem here in New York. Gridlock." — Mark Simone [26:33]

5. Powers of the NYC Mayor & Realistic Concerns

• Checks on Power: Simone explains limits on the mayor’s authority—many major issues (buses, taxes, rent) are out of reach, but warns the mayor could seriously disrupt the NYPD by appointing a far-left commissioner (28:00).

  "The one concern, and it's the only one, the big one, is the police department. He could put in a really bad police commissioner, a real left wing kook..." — Mark Simone [28:00]

• Law Enforcement Risks: Clay, Buck, and Mark detail the dangers posed by progressive changes to police handling emotionally disturbed persons, citing repeated failed attempts to substitute social workers for cops (29:15).

6. Democratic Party Fallout & Midterms

• National Ripple Effects: The group contemplates how a Mamdani victory could aid Republicans in future races by highlighting a Democratic move too far left, possibly flipping governorships or impacting congressional races (33:08).

  “It’s going to help everything... it’s like your whole house burns down, but it’s good for the fire department.” — Mark Simone [33:08]

• Eric Adams’ Legacy: Mark rates Adams’ “last year A+, first three years F," citing recent administrative improvements but an overall poor record (33:50).

7. Culture & Trust: From Trick-or-Treating to Daily Life

• Ring Doorbell "Candy Swindlers": Clay and Buck jump from viral videos of kids (sometimes with their parents) taking more than their share of Halloween candy to broader societal commentary about “low trust” culture in America (13:54, 15:06).

  "It's evidence of a low trust society and a culture that unfortunately is filled with a great deal of rot." — Buck Sexton [14:02]

• High Trust Societies: Buck contrasts American public behavior with his experiences visiting Taiwan, emphasizing that good manners and trust are cultural, not class-based (16:08).

8. Listener Calls — Culture in Action

• Good Samaritans & Red vs. Blue State Values: A caller from Florida shares a story about a wallet returned with $400 in cash untouched, spurring a discussion about cultural contrasts between red/blue states and societal trust ([41:26]).

  "I think in a red state, you have much better chance of having people do the right thing than a blue." — Chip, caller [41:39]

Notable Quotes & Segments

• On Mamdani’s Risks for Democrats:

  “Democrats are incredibly nervous about the idea of Momdani being the face of the Democrat Party, because he and AOC are going to become the faces... in the midterm for next year.” — Buck Sexton [04:17]

• On Public Safety & Crime Drops:

  “If he’s right and all of a sudden violent crime is plummeting... that’s a real issue for Democrats. What do they do?” — Clay Travis [11:34]

• On Societal Trust:

  “It's just a sign of a low trust cultural society...” — Buck Sexton [14:02]

• On Opportunity for Republicans:

  “If Republicans show up in big numbers tomorrow, [Cittarelli]’s going to win. They have to show up in big numbers.” — Buck Sexton [06:16]

• On Media Transparency:

  “They aired 27 minutes of the Trump interview. The actual full length interview was 73 minutes.” — Buck Sexton [10:42]

• On the Limits of Mayoral Power:

  “He has no control over the buses... rent, anything, taxes, that's the city council. The one concern, and it's the only one... is the police department.” — Mark Simone [28:00]

Important Timestamps

• [01:04] Introduction to Hour 2, preview of Mark Simone's segment
• [03:06] Trump on Mamdani’s ideology and image
• [04:17] Buck Sexton: “Democrats are incredibly nervous about the idea of Mamdani...”
• [05:31] Rural/urban split in New York and Pennsylvania, political dynamics
• [06:16] Early voter turnout and the stakes for Republicans in New Jersey
• [08:35] Excerpt from the Trump/Norah O’Donnell 60 Minutes interview about safety in DC
• [13:54] Cultural commentary on trust, using Halloween candy as a metaphor
• [15:06] Contrasting American and East Asian public behavior
• [23:48] Mark Simone’s take on New Jersey polling panic and turnout
• [25:44] Early voter turnout in NYC and the challenge for polling
• [26:33] NYC exodus rumors if Mamdani wins
• [28:00] What could a far-left mayor realistically do? Focus on police
• [33:08] Potential benefits to Republicans of Democratic lurch leftward
• [33:50] Mark Simone grades Eric Adams’ tenure as mayor
• [41:26] Listener call: wallet returned with $400, trust in red states

Tone, Style & Memorable Moments

• Humorous banter: Clay dancing the “Tootsie Roll” and getting teased by Buck ([02:38]), self-effacing exchanges on being “robe guys.”
• Anecdotes: Personal stories about traveling through rural NY and encountering Trump signs, trick-or-treating thefts as a metaphor for cultural decay.
• Candid assessments: Mark Simone delivers frank, occasionally tongue-in-cheek takes on the likelihood of mass migration from NYC and insider takes on campaign panic in NJ.

Conclusion

This episode delivers a lively, insightful, and sometimes irreverent analysis of the high-stakes local elections in New York and New Jersey, with clear-eyed commentary on political strategy and culture. Clay, Buck, and Mark Simone blend news, opinion, and everyday cultural observations, making the episode compelling for political junkies and culturally attuned listeners alike. Whether discussing the real-world impacts of far-left governance, media manipulation, or the subtleties that divide a high trust from a low trust society, the show maintains its conversational, no-nonsense style throughout.