The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Hour 2 - Steve Hilton Can Save CA

Date: March 13, 2026
Podcast Host: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

In this energetic Friday hour, hosts Clay Travis and Buck Sexton welcome Steve Hilton—political commentator, former advisor, and now a Republican candidate for California Governor—for a wide-ranging discussion. The episode pivots from light banter on beards to serious political analysis, delving into California’s political climate, the scale of political corruption and fraud, gas prices, energy policy, and the state’s legacy. The conversation also touches on terrorism in America, copycat violence, and migration trends of wealthy individuals fleeing high-tax states, all in the hosts’ signature frank, often humorous, style.

Featured Guest

Steve Hilton

• Republican candidate for Governor of California
• Former advisor to UK Prime Minister David Cameron
• Media personality known for incisive political commentary

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Steve Hilton’s New Beard: A Symbolic Start

• Steve tells the story of his now-signature beard, which began as accidental laziness over Thanksgiving and ended up promoted by public feedback and endorsements from notable conservatives—including Donald Trump Jr. (“MAGA beard”) and James Woods.
  • [02:02] Steve Hilton:
    “James Woods, the legendary James Woods, texted me last week and said, this is it. It gives you exactly the right amount of gravitas. I really think you can win this now.”

2. California Hospice Fraud & Political Corruption

• Discussion pivots to a recent exposé on hospice and medical fraud in California, which Steve blames not on neglect, but on entrenched, systemic corruption facilitated by Democrat power structures.
• Steve’s organization, CaliFraw.com, set up a whistleblower line and “Cal Doge” for grassroots fraud detection; he notes donations from healthcare to Democrat politicians tie directly into the perpetuation of this fraud.
  • [03:49] Steve Hilton:
    “This is not neglect or incompetence. This is corruption… Gavin Newsom is the puppet of these people who are doing the fraud.”
  • [05:35] Steve Hilton:
    “We can really change this big time if we are elected this year.”

[Relevant Segment: 03:30-06:04]

3. California’s “Jungle Primary” and Hilton’s Strategy

• California’s top-two primary system (“jungle primary”) explained: Top two vote-getters, regardless of party, advance to the general.
• Steve expresses concern about Eric Swalwell’s ascent as the Democratic establishment consolidates, and the risk of splitting the Republican vote, which could lead to two Democrats in the general.
  • [06:54] Steve Hilton:
    “If we split the Republican vote, it’s not only that you’re going to get Eric Swalwell, you’re probably going to get Eric Swalwell and Tom Steyer, the billionaire climate fanatic…”

[Relevant Segment: 06:04-09:41]

4. California’s Oil & Gas Industry and Energy Policy

• California’s gas prices are dissected as a consequence of Democratic climate ideology rather than geopolitical events (such as war in Iran). Steve lambasts the state’s approach:
  • State has huge reserves, but 80% of oil is now imported.
  • Closure of in-state pipelines has led to the irony of oil being trucked to refineries “in the name of climate.”
  • Steve pledges to reverse the “war on fossil fuels,” supporting local production to bring gas prices down.
  • [10:36] Steve Hilton:
    “We are importing in California nearly 80% of the oil that we use. It used to be the opposite… As governor, I will end the war on fossil fuels.”

[Relevant Segment: 09:43-13:22]

5. Restoring the California Dream

• Hilton and the hosts reflect nostalgically on California’s lost luster; Hilton, a British immigrant, once admired the state as a global beacon of opportunity and innovation.
• Describes California’s current woes as a correction away from bureaucratic overreach, not a permanent condition.
  • [14:17] Steve Hilton:
    "California means to America what America means to the world. It represents all the great virtues and strengths and beauty of our nation. Optimism and energy… that’s been crushed by years of bureaucratic, bloated, nanny state government…"

[Relevant Segment: 13:22-15:55]

Memorable Quotes

• Steve Hilton on Corruption:
  "It's not neglect, it's not incompetence, it's corruption. And the scale of it is just unbelievable. The brazen, shameless theft of our money..." [03:49]
• Steve Hilton on Republican Unity:
  "This is the moment for every Republican to get serious about this, get behind the leading Republican candidate. And then I will be guaranteed to be in the top two..." [08:53]
• Steve Hilton on California's Decline:
  "Who would want to [make the UK more like California] today? I mean, that's how far we've fallen..." [14:37]
• Steve Hilton’s campaign pledge:
  “We’re going to get to $3 gas in California. That’s the first pledge I made on the campaign trail.” [13:15]
• Clay Travis’ advice:
  "Steve, bring home the W in this governor’s race and don’t touch that beard." [15:55]

Notable Segment Timestamps

• [01:19] Steve Hilton joins the show; beard banter
• [03:30] Introduction of California hospice fraud issue
• [06:04] Deep dive into California's primary system and election math
• [09:43] Transition to gas prices and state energy policy
• [13:22] Restoring the “California Dream”
• [15:55] Segment wrap-up; light closing banter

Broader Discussion Topics (After Steve Hilton)

Terror Attacks & Media Framing

• The hosts dissect recent terror attacks by Islamic extremists in several US cities, criticizing media narratives that downplay motives or reframe attacks with racial overtones.
  • [19:12] Buck Sexton:
    “The media is so deeply, deeply indoctrinated with this stuff… They view this as, first and foremost, racial.”
• Frustration with officials releasing previously convicted terrorists and calls to review naturalization and citizenship for those convicted of terrorist offenses.
  • [31:39] Clay Travis:
    "If you are convicted of providing terroristic support... maybe we should go back and reexamine the process by which you became a citizen."

[Relevant Segment: 18:06-33:16]

Migration of Wealthy Elites from High-Tax States

• Washington State’s new “millionaire tax” prompts high-profile flights (Howard Schultz, Jeff Bezos) to Miami—ripple effects across blue states discussed.
• New York’s proposed “mansion tax” and estate taxes criticized as illogical and likely to push out investors/entrepreneurs.
  • [37:10] Buck Sexton:
    "It's incredible, actually… $500,000 in Manhattan will get you 300 square feet where you can sleep, shower, and cook without actually moving. It's like you're in a little pod."

[Relevant Segment: 33:16-38:00 (approx.)]

Tone and Style

• Conversational, direct, and opinionated—mixing humor with urgency, especially on issues of policy and governance.
• Partisan and combative toward the political left, California’s Democratic machine, and perceived media biases.

Conclusion

Steve Hilton’s guest segment offers both a personal and political pitch for reclaiming the California dream from what he characterizes as entrenched corruption and failed progressive governance—tying together policy, grassroots activism, and the need for Republican unity in a system stacked against conservatives. The episode also gives space to urgent concerns about terrorism, the media's framing of it, and economic migration from blue to red states, creating a fast-moving, multi-issue hour that blends insider analysis, campaign trail narrative, and talk radio energy.