The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Hour 2 – Speaker Johnson & Matt Van Epps
Date: December 1, 2025
Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (iHeartPodcasts)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton dive into the high-stakes Tennessee 7th Congressional District special election, speaking directly with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and GOP candidate Matt Van Epps as they campaign across Tennessee. The conversation explores local and national significance of the race, the strategies and stakes for Republicans, critiques of Democratic opponents, and segues into broader debates on immigration, welfare fraud (with a focus on Minnesota’s Somali community), and American cultural values. The show closes with a lighter note on family, sports, and Thanksgiving reflections.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tennessee 7th Congressional District Special Election

(02:37 – 15:39)

a. Campaign Trail Check-in

• Speaker Mike Johnson and Matt Van Epps join from their campaign tour of Tennessee, underscoring the energy on the ground, the importance of turnout, and national attention on the race.
  • "We started with a big rally with hundreds of people. There's a lot of enthusiasm. This is deep red country." — Mike Johnson (03:15)
• President Trump’s active involvement by calling into the campaign is highlighted as proof of the race's importance.

b. Why the Race Matters

• The hosts discuss how every House seat matters due to slim GOP majority.
  • "This district...really does count for the whole country. I've presided over some of the slimmest majority delivered huge wins for the American people...every single seat matters." — Mike Johnson (05:29)
• Van Epps emphasizes the seat as a referendum on national ideological divides, describing it as a fight between "America First" priorities and progressive/socialist policies.

c. Turnout, Awareness, and District Details

• Van Epps pushes voters to check their polling place via his website, noting district lines are new, and the importance of Republican turnout, especially with inclement weather expected. (06:17, 13:29)
• District includes parts of Nashville, Clarksville, and 14 counties—all detailed as a blend of urban and rural communities with a strong military and agricultural presence. (10:24)

d. Democratic Opposition

• Matt Van Epps and the hosts characterize opponent Afton Bain as radically progressive, focusing on policies they argue are out-of-step with the district:
  • "She wants transgender surgery for minors without parental consent... wants to raise our taxes... defund the police, abolish prisons... wild, socialist agenda." — Matt Van Epps (07:17, 11:58)
• High-profile Democratic surrogates (AOC, Jasmine Crockett, Democratic Socialists of America) are cited as being heavily involved.

e. Army-Navy Game & SEC Football

• A friendly exchange over the Army-Navy game, with Johnson rooting for Navy (his son attends the Naval Academy) and Van Epps, an Army Ranger and West Point grad, rooting for Army. (08:35)
  • "I'm going to say, go Navy, beat Army." — Mike Johnson (08:35)
  • "And I'm going to say, go Army, beat Navy." — Matt Van Epps (08:50)
• Johnson comments on Lane Kiffin’s headline-grabbing move to LSU and the pressure of major college football, blending sports and politics in local color. (09:20)

f. Media Attention

• Hosts note that MSNBC and CNN are leading with coverage on the special election, underscoring its national profile and the stakes for both parties. (14:25)

2. Immigration, Welfare Fraud, and American Identity

(19:58 – 37:13)

a. Somalian Social Services Fraud in Minnesota

• Clay and Buck discuss recent revelations (citing the NYT) about massive welfare fraud committed by members of the Somali community in Minnesota, critiquing the state government and Governor Tim Walz for failures in oversight and fraud prevention.
  • "They were doing it ruthlessly, remorselessly, continuously." — Buck Sexton (24:08)
• The conversation sharply questions the wisdom of importing communities with little to no tradition of Western values, focusing on fraud as symptomatic of broader assimilation issues.

b. Critique of U.S. Immigration System

• Both hosts argue for a more selective, “merit-based” immigration policy, favoring high-skill, Westernized immigrants and expressing deep skepticism about low-skill migration from non-Western countries.
  • "If you're not embracing Western civilization, why should we have you here… I want the lottery picks. I want the first round draft picks of the world." — Clay Travis (27:17)
  • Buck notes that, historically, immigrants who couldn't make it either didn't stay or returned home; today's welfare state and chain migration make this impossible.
    • "We have become the world's soup kitchen. Increasingly, we are like an economic zone for people who just want to live at the expense of everybody else." — Buck Sexton (29:47)
  • Claims of “diversity as strength” are challenged, with Clay declaring: "Diversity of thought is the only diversity that matters." (36:46)

c. Enforcement and Law

• Buck points out welfare as a "non-starter" for admitting immigrants, asserting that current law prohibits immigrants becoming a “public charge,” but that this is widely ignored at state and federal levels. (31:51)
• Both call for policies that would run immigration with the discipline and rigor of a company: only admit “net positive” contributors, not those likely to become wards of the state. (32:16)

d. American Culture as Destiny

• Clay posits that culture is the prime determinant of national outcomes, arguing the U.S. is “recruiting its problems” through immigration policy that undervalues assimilation to Western norms.
  • "If you go out and you bring in people with bad culture and bad backgrounds, they're not going to be net benefits to the country." — Clay Travis (34:46)

3. Lighter Segment: Thanksgiving, Family, and Sports

(41:22 – 44:41)

• Buck appears on video with his 7-month-old son, reflecting on his first Thanksgiving as a father and joking about family, overeating, and “bribing” listeners to subscribe to their YouTube with cute baby content.
  • "He's, he's a thick fellow. His mom, great job. He's not missing meals." — Buck Sexton (42:14)
• Brief sports banter regarding the Lane Kiffin football coaching saga and its emotional impact in the SEC, especially for Florida Gator fans. (44:04)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the importance of the special election:
  • “Every single seat matters and that’s why we’re so happy to be here.” — Mike Johnson (05:29)
• On opponent's radical policies:
  • “She was out as a sitting state legislator filming herself bullying and harassing ICE and the Tennessee Highway Patrol, which is just unbelievable. It’s disqualifying.” — Matt Van Epps (11:58)
• On immigration and assimilation:
  • “If you are coming in and you are immediately going on welfare and support, you shouldn’t be admitted to this country.” — Clay Travis (31:39)
• On American generosity and exploitation:
  • “Our generosity as a people... has been exploited and mocked by the actions of people who have come here claiming fake asylum in huge numbers.” — Buck Sexton (29:47)
• On cultural cohesion:
  • “If you bring in toxic employees, you create a toxic culture... the United States is recruiting our problems.” — Clay Travis (34:46)
• On diversity:
  • “Diversity of thought can be a strength if you apply it and the best ideas win. But just diversity itself as somehow a positive outcome or goal—diversity of thought is the only diversity that matters.” — Clay Travis (36:46)
• Family banter:
  • “He’s, he’s a thick fellow. His mom, great job. He’s not missing meals.” — Buck Sexton (42:14)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-------------|---------------------------------------------------------| | 02:37 | Segment start: Speaker Johnson & Van Epps join | | 03:15 | Johnson describes campaign energy in Tennessee 7th | | 05:29 | Why every seat matters; national stakes | | 06:17 | Matt Van Epps on district info and voting details | | 08:35 | Army-Navy rivalry banter with Johnson & Van Epps | | 09:20 | Johnson on Lane Kiffin & SEC football stress | | 11:58 | Top 3 criticisms of opponent Afton Bain (Van Epps) | | 13:29 | Early voting data and turnout concerns | | 14:25 | Media’s national focus on the race | | 19:58 | Immigration/fraud segment begins — Minnesota Somali case| | 24:08 | Buck’s analysis: cultural assimilation, fraud | | 31:39 | Travis: Immigration & welfare as a non-starter | | 34:46 | Cultural arguments — “recruiting our problems” | | 36:46 | “Diversity of thought is the only diversity that matters”| | 41:22 | Thanksgiving/family segment with Buck’s son | | 44:04 | SEC football and Lane Kiffin banter |

Tone and Style

The conversation maintains the show’s trademark blend of serious political analysis with humor, impassioned argument, sports banter, and occasional irreverence. Both hosts emphasize urgency, use vivid and sometimes hyperbolic language, and intersperse personal anecdotes to keep listeners engaged.

Summary

This episode is a dynamic window into grassroots campaigning and the broader ideological battle lines in American politics. By hosting Speaker Johnson and Matt Van Epps, Clay and Buck spotlight the hands-on effort required in special elections and the importance of turnout, especially in a time of closely divided government. The discussion pivots seamlessly from local politics to sharp critiques of progressive opponents and the left, before broadening into a hard-hitting conversation on immigration, welfare fraud, and American identity—always returning to the theme of national cohesion versus division. The latter part brings some levity, as the hosts reflect on family and sports—offering a well-rounded, engaging hour for listeners whether politically or personally invested.