Hour 2 - Trump's Texas Tactics

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 2 - Trump's Texas Tactics

Date: March 5, 2026
Hosts: Clay Travis and Buck Sexton
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

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Episode Overview

This hour zeroes in on the aftermath of the Texas Senate primary, Donald Trump’s calculated influence on pivotal Senate races, and strategic Republican efforts to secure Senate control in the 2026 elections. Clay and Buck tackle Texas’s political landscape, dissect the Democratic challenger James Talarico’s platform, discuss trends in blue-to-red migration states like Florida, and deliver their take on breaking news—Kristi Noem’s firing as DHS Secretary.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Senate Strategy & Texas as Keystone State

[02:06–08:09]

• Trump’s Endorsement Calculus:
  Clay opens by analyzing recent reports that President Trump plans to endorse a Texas Senate candidate, likely the incumbent, John Cornyn. This, says Clay, indicates Trump’s intense focus on maintaining the GOP’s slim Senate majority.

• Why Texas Matters:

  • Clay Travis (03:00): “If Texas is preserved… it almost becomes impossible for Democrats to win control of the Senate.”
  • GOP currently holds a 53–47 lead; with Texas secure, the path for Democrats becomes extremely difficult.
  • Vulnerable states: Maine (Susan Collins), North Carolina (open seat, Michael Watley vs. Roy Cooper), Georgia (incumbent Ossoff).
  • Supreme Court ramifications: if the GOP holds the Senate, retirements among Supreme Court justices could reshape the judiciary.

• Ken Paxton Factor:

  • Paxton, a prominent conservative, offers to drop out if the “SAVE Act” passes, shifting further pressure onto Cornyn, the establishment pick.
  • Trump reportedly sees Cornyn as less risky, believing Paxton couldn’t clear the primary threshold and that keeping Texas out of play lets resources be spent in tougher battlegrounds.

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2. The Democratic Challenger: Dissecting James Talarico

[08:09–12:55]

• Talarico’s Positioning and Social Media Takes:

  • Buck highlights a speech where Talarico frames himself as a threat to a ‘corrupt system,’ likening his movement to flipping injustice “tables” in the fashion of Jesus.
    • James Talarico, campaign quote (played on air) [08:37]:
      “The only truth is, we are a threat. We’re a threat to their corrupt system. Two thousand years ago, that barefoot rabbi didn’t stay in his room and pray. He walked into the seat of power and flipped over the tables of injustice.”
  • Buck derides Talarico’s tweets for ‘woke’ assertions such as:
    • “White skin...immunity from the virus, but we spread it...through our words, our actions, and our systems.”
    • Buck’s sarcastic summary: “Our inherent racism as white people, Clay, is contagious.”

• Positioning on Issues:

  • Buck and Clay lampoon Talarico’s embrace of leftist causes, his COVID-era praise of Fauci (Fauci action figure tweet in December 2021), and what they see as performative faith—a “lesbian’s idea of a white guy that will appeal to normal white guys and normal men.”
  • Clay Travis, sarcastic take (12:55):
    “Just because he does the I talk about Jesus thing, he’s going to appeal to anybody who believes in Jesus?... It’s like a different species to them. Like an alien life.”

• Viability as a Candidate:

  • Buck: Talarico is “further left wing than Jasmine Crockett” and “crazier.”
  • Clay: “I think whoever the Republican nominee is, is going to beat Talarico... I think this guy is toast in the election. There’s no chance.”

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3. GOP Senate Nominee Dynamics: Cornyn vs. Paxton

[13:24–16:30]

• Buck Sexton (13:24):

  • Outlines why Trump likely favors Cornyn: lower spend required, more reliable contest, avoids a bruising and expensive runoff. Cornyn’s primary win over Paxton is leveraged as proof of electability.
  • Predicts major spending if Paxton were nominated due to media and national Democratic focus.

• Clay Travis (15:33):

  • “Beto is a better-looking guy”—draws contrasts to past Democratic star candidates, suggesting Talarico lacks charisma and crossover appeal, making him less of a threat than Beto O’Rourke was.

• Takeaway:

  • Both agree that, barring GOP complacency, the Republican nominee (Cornyn or Paxton) is strongly favored.

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4. Florida: A Republican Fortress and Blueprint for Red-State Growth

[24:34–30:29]

• Clay Travis (24:34):

  • “Florida... is an incredible story about what happens when there are good policies put in place, when there are smart, committed Republican leaders put in place, and when they execute.”
  • Cites voter registration numbers:
    • Republicans now lead Democrats by nearly 1.5 million registered voters.
    • In 2016, Democrats led by 400,000; since then, GOP has gained a million, Democrats have lost 500,000.

• Impact of Migration:

  • Palm Beach County poised to flip red; only 3–4 counties left with Dem majorities statewide.
  • Links Florida’s success to policy (safety, schools, prosperity) and leadership (Ron DeSantis).
  • Buck adds personal experience, contrasting competent governance (Florida) to failed blue-state policies (NYC, CA).
    • Buck Sexton (28:18): “You can have reasonable, competent people in charge of state government. It is a thing that can happen.”

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5. Big-Picture Trends: Census & Supreme Court Effects

[30:29–34:42]

• Long-Term GOP Advantage:

  • Buck Sexton (30:29):
    • COVID migration will reshape electoral maps; census changes after 2030 expected to deliver even more House seats and influence to red states.
    • Supreme Court may soon strike down race-based districts, potentially swinging up to 20 House seats to Republicans.
    • Result: “Democrats’ ability to win nationwide elections is going to be severely curtailed starting in 2030.”
    • Predicts acceleration of blue-to-red migration due to failed blue state budgets and policies.

• Voter ID & Election Integrity:

  • Clay reiterates the need for the SAVE Act and robust voter ID for secure, trustworthy elections.

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6. BREAKING NEWS: Kristi Noem Fired as DHS Secretary

[35:29–38:17], [43:45–45:21]

• On-Air Reaction:

  • Clay Travis (35:29): “Christine Noem has been fired, everybody. Kristi Noem has been fired. They’re telling me.”
  • Details:
    • Kristi Noem becomes the first Cabinet Secretary removed in Trump’s second term.
    • Triggered by mounting scandals: misuse of government funds ($200 million ad campaign starring Noem), personal relationship questions, and poor Congressional hearing performance.
    • Clay (36:04): “Turns out someone who’s corrupt, cheats on her husband and shoots dogs for fun isn’t the best person to put in charge of… your most important federal agency.”

• Successor:

  • Senator Markwayne Mullin (Oklahoma) is named her replacement, per Fox News and Trump’s Truth Social post.
  • Clay and Buck speculate confirmation will be smooth, given Mullin’s home in the Senate.

• Memorable Moment:

  • Buck Sexton (45:21): “President Trump has posted on Truth Social that Mark Wayne Mullen is in... Major breaking news Kristi Noem out at DHS. Mark Wayne Mullen in. We’ll discuss next.”

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Notable Quotes & Exchanges

• On the Texas race:
  “If Texas is preserved… it almost becomes impossible for Democrats to win control of the Senate.”
  — Clay Travis (03:00)

• On James Talarico:
  “The only truth is, we are a threat. We’re a threat to their corrupt system... It’s time to start flipping tables.”
  — James Talarico, on-air campaign speech (08:37)

  “James Talarico is a lesbian’s idea of a white guy that will appeal to normal white guys and normal men out there.”
  — Buck Sexton (11:57) (mocking Democratic strategy)

• On Florida’s transformation:
  “Florida is one of the greatest success stories in Republican Party history. If you look at what’s happened over the last decade...”
  — Clay Travis (24:34)

  “Fortress Florida is stronger than ever.”
  — Buck Sexton (28:18)

• On Kristi Noem’s firing:
  “Turns out someone who’s corrupt, cheats on her husband and shoots dogs for fun isn’t the best person to put in charge.”
  — Clay Travis (36:04)

• On long-term GOP prospects:
  “Democrats’ ability to win nationwide elections is going to be severely curtailed starting in 2030.”
  — Buck Sexton (30:29)

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Important Timestamps & Segments

• Texas Senate Landscape & Trump’s tactics: [02:06–08:09]
• Democratic challenger James Talarico dissected: [08:09–12:55]
• Primary runoff analysis (Cornyn vs Paxton): [13:24–16:30]
• Florida’s GOP gains & migration effects: [24:34–30:29]
• Future of red/blue state demographics and Supreme Court: [30:29–34:42]
• Breaking: Kristi Noem fired as DHS Secretary: [35:29–38:17], [43:45–45:21]

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Memorable Moments

• Buck’s comic riff: “James Talarico is crazier than Jasmine Crockett.” [10:44]
• Clay’s jab at Democratic candidate image-crafting: “This is the New York Times editorial board version of a white Christian guy from Texas…” [12:55]
• Good-natured banter over Batman films and Bane impersonations [22:49–23:22]
• Clay’s political stump speech on Florida prompting Buck’s off-handed “Ready to move to Tennessee” joke [34:42–35:05]

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Summary Takeaway

This fast-paced episode highlights the increasingly strategic, data-driven nature of GOP electioneering in 2026, with Texas cemented as a firewall in the Senate map and Trump laser-focused on safe seats to free up resources elsewhere. Clay and Buck tie state and national contests to demographic trends (notably Florida’s rightward lurch), spotlight the limitations of deeply progressive candidates in red states, and close with breaking news on White House personnel shakeups, underscoring the volatility of the political landscape just eight months out from the midterms.

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Transcript

[Clay Travis]

This is an iHeart podcast.

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First of all, the fallout of what happened in the Texas primary on Tuesday has led to reports that President Trump is potentially going to endorse and that he is ready to have a nominee in the Senate in Texas. What is that telling us about the landscape in general? I think it is that President Trump is really seriously focused on preserving the majority in the Senate. The House, I think, is going to be more challenging because there are a lot of different races to focus on in the Senate. We've got a 53, 47 advantage for the Republicans right now. Given that J.D. vance breaks the ties, that means that Democrats would have to pick up four different seats. And if you look at the way the landscape of the different states are setting up, Maine is going to be tough for Susan Collins. That is a blue state that I know they break it up and that there is a red part of that blue state. But Susan Collins seems to be almost the only Republican that can win in Maine right now. You've got a really difficult race shaping up in North Carolina. Open Senate seat. Michael Watley is going to be going up against Roy Cooper. Roy Cooper is a popular former governor who has been elected statewide before. So that is going to be a, a, a tough battle. And then you've got Georgia, which is probably the best opportunity of Republicans to pick off an existing seat where Ossoff is running. But you start to run through all these different maps and it almost becomes impossible for Democrats to win control of the Senate if Texas is preserved. And so I think President Trump is making a calculated decision about what exactly he wants to do to preserve that Senate majority. And you say, okay, what's going on with that Senate majority? I think there's a decent chance, Buck, that one of the older Supreme Court justices, maybe even more than one of the older Supreme Court justices, decides to step down. Given the fact that we have basic majority, gets a Supreme Court justice, life tenure. I don't know how long it's going to be until Republicans have control of the Senate and the presidency again. Might happen this year, but you would like to have it happen for the next couple of years, given the ages that everybody is in the Senate right now. So there's going to be a lot of focus on the House and we know what they will do. They will impeach. It will become difficult to get anything through Congress at all. I would argue it's very difficult to get everything through Congress now. But Ken Paxton, who we just reached out to, to invite on the program, has just said he would drop out of the Senate race if the SAVE act were passed and they ended the filibuster in order to do so. I think this is an intriguing political situation that we're in because John Thune, now the leader of the Senate, is put on the hot seat a bit here because he knows that basically his preservation of a Senate majority is almost guaranteed if they pass the SAVE Act. But that is the, that is the challenge that we face. And again, we have an offer out to Paxton. There have been reports that Trump is going to endorse Cornyn, the sitting incumbent. One bit of update for all of you out there. There is a live press conference update in Austin, Texas on the shooter that killed multiple people in an Austin nightclub bar shooting scene. And so we were run, we are running on that and we will get you an update on that information. Although, Buck, I think, as we said on the program, when you show up in a Iranian T shirt, kind of a suggestion that maybe you're acting out as a basis of terrorism for that behavior. So we will, we will talk about all of that. Now, what's your assessment here, Buck, as you analyze this? Again, the Texas Senate, to me, it's the, the larger story here is President Trump sees that Texas Senate seat, if it's in Republican hands, the map just doesn't add up for, for Democrats very easily. Maybe you get Maine, maybe you get North Carolina, you might be favored there. But then you would have to flip Ohio, you would have to flip Texas. We just had Steve Dane step down in Montana, but Montana would be a tough flip. And that presumes that you win the toss ups in Trump states in Georgia, in Michigan, that kind of map. Iowa's out there, too, but seems difficult. I think Trump feels if he has Texas in his back pocket, that the Senate majority is confirmed. And I think that's motivating a lot of his actions.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah, I think that the Senate's looking good for Republicans overall. I think that you are going to have a tougher time with the House. And this is the conventional wisdom that everyone has on this because it's probably going to be the case, I would say James Talarico. Here he is. This is Cut seven. He says, they're going to call me a radical leftist and a fake Christian. Maybe because you are, James, but let's talk about this place, seven.

[Buck Sexton]

They're scared of the movement we are building. They're going to throw everything they have at us. They're going to call me a radical leftist. They're going to call me a fake Christian. They'll call our movement Untexan, Un American. They'll call us a threat. The only truth is, we are a threat. We're a threat to their corrupt system. Two thousand years ago, when the powerful few at the top hurt those at the bottom, that barefoot rabbi didn't stay in his room and pray. He walked into the seat of power and flipped over the tables of injustice. To those who love this state, to those who love this country, to those who love our neighbors. It's time to start flipping tables.

[Clay Travis]

Oh, just comparing himself to Jesus. This guy. Very humble. Very humble fellow, James Talarico. This tweet has been getting more attention. This was him speaking, or rather tweeting, after the Ahmaud Arbery case. He wrote, this is in. This is in 2020. White skin gives me and every white American immunity from the virus, but we spread it wherever we go through our words, our actions, and our systems. We don't have to be showing symptoms like a white hood or a Confederate flag to be contagious. Our inherent racism as white people, Clay, is contagious. And we have to seek to contain that contagion by just having our white skin. This guy doesn't think he's a leftist. I mean, I really want to ask the question between the God is trans or non binary. You got to trans the kids. Abortion is exactly what Jesus had in mind. Loves abortion. Jesus loves abortion. It's great to kill babies. And white skin is a form of contagion that pollutes society everywhere it goes. If these are all his positions, if he is not a leftist, who is a leftist? I want to know. If he is not to the left of the Democrat Party, who is?

[Buck Sexton]

I'm just curious. I'm going to say this and some of you are going to say, he can't be serious, Clay. I'm serious. I think he may be crazier than Jasmine Crockett.

[Clay Travis]

Oh, no. I think so, too. I think so, too.

[Buck Sexton]

It's possible that this guy is further left wing than Jasmine Crockett was, and I think he's crazier. I mean, he Posted. Did you see this? I shared this in December of 2021. He said his favorite Christmas gift was a Dr. Fauci action figure. And he said that everybody in Texas needed to make sure that they got their Covid shot and had gotten their most recent round of boosters. December of 21. Yeah, that's. You know, December of 21 is a lot of people. You know, March, April 2020, you go back in time by May of 2020, somehow you and I were smart enough to be able to deduce everything that had to do with COVID So I'm giving people passes in March and April of 2020 and kind of the confusion of the moment. But by May of 2020, like the whole Covid game, the rig job should have been apparent if you were paying attention. December of 21, posting a Fauci action figure. You are a committed left winger and you mentioned this a little bit in the first hour. But, but I think Talarico actually is a interesting dynamic because it feels very much like Tim Walls. This is people who are leftist left wing women largely trying to pick guys that they think will appeal to normal guys and failing miserably because they don't understand how to talk to normal dudes. Remember when they tried to call Tim Walls coach Walls and they put him in the plaid shirt and they gave him a gun and they sent him out and they said, look, he wears boots. He's a totally normal guy. And then totally normal guys watched him Walls and they said, this is not a totally normal guy. James Talarico is a lesbian's idea of a white guy that will appeal to normal white guys and normal men out there.

[Clay Travis]

No Christian to Christians specifically. Just because he does the I talk about Jesus thing, he's going to appeal to anybody who believes in Jesus. This is the New York Times editorial board version of a white Christian guy from Texas who other people who go to Christian Christian churches are going to find common ground with. It's. It's absurd. Again, they just have no idea. It's like a different species to them. It's like an alien life.

[Buck Sexton]

They're trying to translate a language that they don't really understand and find someone who they think can speak to people that they recognize they have lost. And so I just don't think there's going to be any, any ability here whatsoever to, to, to corral voters now on the Paxton front and the, and the corn in front. I think this is a tactical decision from Trump that he wants to allocate resources so that we can make a real run in Michigan. He knows that Georgia is going to be pick up a bull. He knows that Maine and North Carolina are going to be super difficult battlegrounds. And you got Ohio and Iowa and, and Texas and Montana and all these other different states. And he's trying to figure out how we can spend the least amount of money necessary in Texas to win this race. And I think Trump has been convinced that that is by him endorsing John Cornyn. Now, Cornyn beat Paxton by a small margin of votes in the primary. And I believe what happened was the Cornyn people went back to Trump and they said Ken Paxton wasn't able to beat us head to head in the Republican primary. You have to get over 50% support in order to be the official nominee. So we have the runoff in late May and they are saying he's not going to be able to beat us in, in May either, whether you believe that or not. And then there's going to be a hundred million dollars spent or more in this additional primary potentially. And then you're going to have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars more if Paxton is the nominee in order to, to beat Tal Rico. Now here's what I would say. I think whoever the Republican nominee is, is going to be Tal Rico. I think they're going to raise a lot of money for him just like they did for Beto. But I think this guy is actually a far less appealing version of Beto. I think he's crazier. I think he's got further left wing opinions.

[Clay Travis]

Just say Beto is a little more handsome.

[Buck Sexton]

You're better. Beto's a better looking guy.

[Clay Travis]

Better looking guy. You know, Beto in those Wrangler jeans a little more, little more exciting to the ladies and some of the guys than Talarico is. So, you know, we can just call it out. We'll say, say it like it is. But I think that this guy is, I think this guy is toast in the election. I think there's no chance. And now you should never say that. Texans, you need to show up, you need to vote, you need to make sure that this doesn't end up happening. But they're, they're not even running a passable version of a Texas centrist in this campaign. They're running a, a, an ardent leftist. I mean, he is a leftist. There's no way around that. Just because you talk about God doesn't mean you aren't a leftist. In fact, there are a lot I can speak from the Catholic Church side of this, there are a lot of commie Catholics running around, including in the clergy, which is very disappointing.

[Buck Sexton]

Well, I think also you could see where Jasmine Crockett had a base. Black female voters in particular were going to show up for her in a substantial way. I'm not sure what James Talarico's base is. And so again, I think either Paxton or Cornyn would win. But I do believe that now that we're in sort of strategic season for analyzing. There's been a lot of talk about the quality of Senate nominees in different states. And we've talked about this before. In Georgia, Republicans have lost three straight Senate races that they should have won just point blank. Three straight Senate races in Georgia were all winnable. Warnock and Ossoff are not great candidates. And Georgia Republicans have not been able to get across the finish line cause they haven't had good enough nominees. Meanwhile, Brian Kemp wins by eight points. Every other office in the state, overwhelmingly comfortable, wins. We got to get better nominees across the board. And so I think this is the, this is the strategic analysis. We'll open up phone lines. A lot of Texans will have strong thoughts on this. We also have invited Paxton and Cornyn both on the program as this is playing out in real time. But in the meantime, you heard us talk with Yale X team just a little bit ago. Conflict in the Middle east is putting Israeli citizens in harm's way again. The threat is real and it's intense. And as a result, we need as many bomb shelters in Israel as possible. We need as many places underground to be able to keep people safe. They've got hospitals underground now. We saw what they have to do because they're so afraid of bombs hitting hospitals. We need life saving food, first aid and emergency essentials. The IFCJ is helping to ensure hospitals, emergency rooms and shelters are stocked with critical medical supplies. Aid focused on Israel's most vulnerable, the sick, the elderly, children, families. But the fellowship needs your most generous gift today to make this work possible. To rush your gift, call 888-488-IFCJ. That's 888-488-IFCj. You can also go online at ifcj.org that's ifcj.org stories of freedom, stories of America. Inspirational stories that unite us all each day. Spend time with Clay and Buck. Find them on the free iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.

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[Clay Travis]

Welcome back into Clay and Buck. Got a bunch of talkbacks wanted to get to. We're also going to talk to Ryan Graduski in a little bit about that Texas election situation. Here we go. Podcast Listener this is F on the Talk Backlist Team Podcast listener Steve from Dallas. Hear what Steve has to say.

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Good morning fellas.

[Buck Sexton]

This is Steve from Dallas. Although right now I'm in the national airport half expecting to see play in here somewhere. I like the all the references to

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[Buck Sexton]

to go out on a limb here, but I think Buck's imitation of Bane

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[Buck Sexton]

That's wild. I know to say that, but hey, I'm crazy like that.

[Clay Travis]

Do I impress you, sir? I'm glad. I'm glad he likes the Bane impersonation.

[Buck Sexton]

Is that the best best superhero movie ever made.

[Clay Travis]

Ooh, I am a Batman Begins over all the rest of the trilogy fan. I like the first one the most actually, as a movie. My problem with those movies is the female leads are terrible. Katie Holmes, that other chick who is just not cute. I'm sorry, she's just. She not. She's just not. Not even mid. She's just not attractive. I don't remember her name. Maggie Gyllenhaal. Gross. Not good for the role. But the first movie I think is the best. You agree or disagree?

[Buck Sexton]

I mean, Heath Ledger is almost impossible to to beat. He's the greatest villain of all time. I think so.

[Clay Travis]

Number two, that's respectable. I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna. I'm not going to slap your whispering angel out of your hand over that one. So I'll let that one go. We all know what it's like when you can't reach the person you need to. The cell phone call goes to voicemail. There's a home phone number. It just rings Having a solid backup to connect with a loved one at a time of need becomes really important. Perfect example of why owning a set of rapid radios makes all kinds of sense. These are the rugged long range emergency radios built for blackouts and natural disasters that we've been talking about for more than a year now. Rapid radios just work clear communication, long battery life and durability that stands up to real world emergencies. Staying connected shouldn't depend on luck. It should depend on the tools you trust if you want to protect your family during the next weather emergency or whatever causes the disruption. If you want peace of mind when the weather turns dangerous, take ownership of a set of rapid radios. Go to rapidradios.com right now. Check out the new Rad1, see the full emergency features and grab the launch offer while it's still live. When the world goes quiet, make sure you don't communication redefined [e-mail] welcome back

[Buck Sexton]

in Clay Travis Buck Sexton Show. You know, Buck, there's a lot of good news out there and I don't think we discussed this on the program yet. I saw this and I thought to myself, you know what, we should dive into this. And I meant to mention it a day or so ago, but your home state of Florida, I know there's a lot of frustration out there. People say, oh, you know, what's the impact? Nothing ever changes. It doesn't matter who wins races. It's all going to turn into, I think a sometimes people just get so much negativity running and I do think this is important and worth breaking down. Florida VOTER Registration did you see this? This is from a guy named Michael Pruser who does the data on this. Let me hit you with some numbers because I think Governor Ron DeSantis and a lot of the Republican Floridian establishment has not gotten enough attention. And I do believe the story of Florida is occurring across many different states simultaneous. According to the most recent numbers that came out, this is the beginning of March. So through the end of February, Republicans now have an advantage of nearly 1.5 million overall voters in the state. That is 5.5 million registered Republicans in Florida. There are now about 4.4 million registered Democrats. Now that's a pretty impressive overall outcome. But what's interesting, Buck, is if you go back to just, let's see, just 2016, right as Trump was coming into office, right before DeSantis came into office, there were just 4.5 million registered Republicans and there were 4.9 million registered Democrats. So Democrats have lost about 500,000. And Republicans have added roughly a million. Palm beach county, which was used to be a bastion of the Democrat Party, is going to flip red very soon. I believe that will leave only three counties, three or four counties total that even have a Democrat majority. So if you're out there and you're frustrated and I get it, and you say, hey, who gets elected doesn't matter, and I know there are some of you out there in the market because we hear from them all the time. Florida, I think, is an incredible story about what happens when there are good policies put in place, when there are smart, committed Republican leaders put in place, and when they execute. And I would argue right now that Florida is the base of the Republican Party. And for those of you out there who can remember Florida as the ultimate swing state battleground in all of the nation, it's really kind of incredible to see. And sometimes we miss progress that is occurring because it's easier to focus on negative stories and it's easier to be upset on a day to day basis. But Florida is one of the greatest success stories in Republican Party history. If you look at what's happened over the last decade and you as a Floridian now Buck, are part of that, a mass influx of people, I actually think Florida is poised to become even more of a leader in Republican Party circles going forward. It's really an incredible story and I don't think it gets talked about enough in a positive way.

[Clay Travis]

No, I think it's fantastic. It's obviously I live here and I'm so pleased to see how well everything is going. So the numbers speak for themselves. Fortress Florida is stronger than ever. Ron DeSantis, who has stepped away from the national spotlight a bit in the last couple of years, but he has done a phenomenal job as governor and I think there's still some very worthwhile stuff that he's trying to get through in his last year. And it just shows. It shows you that you can have reasonable, competent people in charge of state government. It is a thing that can happen and it's a good thing when it happens. It makes people safer, it makes businesses more prosperous, it makes your day to day life more efficient. The streets are cleaner. I mean, all these things that you'd like to think all government is doing at some level, or rather all necessary government is functioning in a way to make your life better or at least not make your life worse. And unfortunately in New York City I experienced the other side of this. So I know what it is like on both sides of this. Coin. I know what it's like to be in a place, New York, where the people in charge are in some cases ideologically dedicated to destroying your quality of life and taking from you and blaming you for the problems that some of their policies are exacerbating. And I've seen the other side of it where you are welcomed and if you are law abiding, you have the benefit of law enforcement around you. So therefore you get to lead a safer, more orderly and more pleasant existence. And that is what we have in Florida. So yeah, man, it's great. And, and I just, the people that are still holding out in some of these other places who are, I'm not talking about the Republicans who live in California. I get it. You got family there. You love your state. It's a beautiful state. You want to go. I mean the Democrats who are still in these states who don't get it. I don't understand what they don't get at this point. Well, I do. It's a delusion, like a manufactured delusion, which is a fantastic book that all of you should get from the New York Times bestseller list last week. I highly recommend it.

[Buck Sexton]

I it is a spectacular book. I told it sold many copies. And I do believe that one of the big untold stories right now is Florida is an example of the census and how the census is going to swing in a really transformative way for the map. The map is not going to change until 2030. But the legacy of COVID when you look at what's happened with Texas, with Tennessee, with Florida, there are a lot of other states to point to as well is Democrats ability to win nationwide elections is going to be severely curtailed starting in 2030. Now, 2028 is still going to be a battle that's fought on, frankly, a map that has shifted in Republican Party directions. But all of this is going to be, I think, a super important story that is not getting enough attention. And buck, this doesn't even take into account what I think the Supreme Court is going to do. And again, this is not being, I'm trying to be positive here because there's so many things that I think don't get enough attention. I was thinking about the Florida numbers and the, the fact that people are voting with their feet because of the leadership of Ron DeSantis and others. But also look at what the Supreme Court's likely to do when it comes to race based congressional districts. I don't think they're going to give their ruling in time to impact the 2026 midterm cycle. Because I think they're gonna say it's too political, but they, I believe are going to do away with race based congressional districts. Right now it is considered constitutional to say, hey, we're gonna have a majority black district and we'll draw that district so that it encompasses all these different interstates and neighborhoods. And you look at some of the most gerrymandered communities out there, many of them are race based drawn districts for black voters. The country has actually become so much more diverse with Hispanic and Asian and, and, and other people of different backgrounds that this black white dynamic in black based districts I think are not going to be allowed. And you say, okay Clay, what's your, what's the impact of that going to be by 2028 that could swing 20 seats towards Republicans because those districts being not able to be gerrymandered that way. So if you think about that ruling, which I think is going to come down this summer, and then you think about what's going to happen with the 2030 census and using Florida as an example of how population has shifted the map for 2030 and beyond is going to be massively in favor of red states. And here's something else. I think the acceleration of voters from blue states is going to move even faster because if you look at the budgets of New York and California, for example, they spend way more than a state like Florida or Texas big states would spend and they get far weaker results. And I think that is all going to. Again, this is big picture talking. Next five, six years, all of that is going to, that transformation is going to occur even more rapidly. So I understand a lot of people out there saying, and I get it because I'm impatient, I want things to happen as quickly as they possibly can. I don't think that we're talking enough about how much difference that's going to make in the years ahead. Now, should we still pass the SAVE act and ensure that that federal elections are reliable and that we do something crazy like require somebody to show up with a photo, photo ID in order to vote? Yes. That is a non, non negotiable. To me it should happen. And I understand how that can be frustrating when things like that aren't happening. But I do think the larger trend lines here are not being talked about enough and they are incredibly favorable. And this is what good governance does. People do notice and they vote with their feet.

[Clay Travis]

Indeed, that is excellent. Clay's good at the whole stump speech thing. Everybody think he's getting any ideas? Could be Kind of a wide open field in 2028. Laura, we should talk. I'd be a great chief of staff. I'm just saying. I'm just throwing it out there. Mr. Clay Travis, you have the political gift of gab, sir. I feel like I'm ready to move to Tennessee and I live in Florida. It's already great here.

[Buck Sexton]

I just think that, again, results really do matter. And sometimes it's frustrating when you don't see those results in real time. Look at Florida. It really is a great story.

[Clay Travis]

You've never lived in a deeply dysfunctional. Well, I shouldn't say that you lived

[Buck Sexton]

in D.C. but wait, we got breaking news.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Wow.

[Clay Travis]

Oh, boy.

[Buck Sexton]

I was asking, I was asking Buck if we should bring this up because there was a bunch of noise.

[Clay Travis]

I've got the vapors. I've got the vapors.

[Buck Sexton]

Bucks. Good.

[Clay Travis]

Christine Gnome has been fired, everybody. Christy Gnome has been fired. They're telling me.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Oh.

[Clay Travis]

Oh, Lord. Man.

[Buck Sexton]

This is the first cabinet secretary to be removed from office. We were talking off air about the fact that the odds in the prediction markets had gone to 90% that she was out. Wall Street Journal has really kind of come after her with a bunch of stories about spending. And so Christy turns out, turns out

[Clay Travis]

someone who's, who's corrupt, cheats on her husband and shoots dogs for fun isn't the best person to put in charge of maybe your most important federal agency. I'm glad the administration is moving in the right direction here.

[Buck Sexton]

So now who is going to be the DHS secretary? That's going to be the next question. So Christine OEM out. That's breaking news. Just came up on FOX News as an alert. There's a possibility, I guess, that Tom Homan could be, could slide, you should

[Clay Travis]

say alleged, by the way, with all of that alleged. These are all allegations, of course. Yes. Christine OEM is going to step down and Tom Holm is taking over.

[Buck Sexton]

Maybe. I, I don't know. I'm not sure who that next person is going to be. Breaking news. We'll come back and talk about who might be. Oh, wow. She's being replaced by Mark Wayne Mullen, Oklahoma senator.

[Clay Travis]

There we go.

[Buck Sexton]

Just, just on the show this week, friend of the show, Mark Wayne Mullen. That's according to breaking news from, from Fox News. Senator from Oklahoma will now take over as the head of dhs.

[Clay Travis]

Apparently the hearing was disastrous from Republican and Democrat sides of things. We didn't really cover the hearing, but Noem had a hearing on Capitol Hill. She was asked about a special government employee who travels with her who is not her husband. And that did not go over well. She was asked a number of things that did not go over well, including a $200 million ad campaign starring her. That's taxpayer dollars, everybody. $200 million.

[Buck Sexton]

So, President Trump, this is big news. So look, we're going to go to break. We'll come back and we'll talk about it. This is the first Cabinet Secretary in 2.0. There's been a lot of stability so far. This is the first cabinet secretary out. Michael Walls has shifted, right. They moved him to ambassador to the UN If I'm not mistaken, from inside of the government. So that's the biggest move prior to now. But again, breaking news. Kristi Noem out. And Senator Mark Wayne Mullen of Oklahoma up now to be the new head of dhs. We'll talk about that when we come back. Again, breaking news coming down right now.

[Clay Travis]

I just love to see this Trump administration making smart decisions and doing the best thing for the American people and for the mission. That's where I come down on this.

[Buck Sexton]

Buck. And Kristi Noem, not exactly best chums for those of you who have been longtime listeners to the program. Rain, snow, a hot searing sun, hurricane like winds. Every one of these things contribute to your roof. Aging starts with a leak and goes downhill from there. Erie Home is here to help as we get into spring. Erie home is a 50 year old company specializing in making sure your roof is in excellent shape. That name again, Erie Home. They start by providing a free roof inspection. Take advantage of the offer. They will inspect your roof for any problems free of charge using a 25 point inspection they've developed over many years in business. If your roof needs a replacement, Erie Home offers all kinds of options, including the use of newer metal materials that are made to mimic the look of the roof you likely have now. These new metal materials allow your new roof to last up to two or three times longer than traditional shingle roofs with proper care and maintenance. Your new route from Erie Home comes with a 50 year transferable warranty. So if you sell your home, you're providing even more value in the selling process. Schedule your free [e-mail] clay today and get a discount off the installation price. That's E r I e home.com Clay Erie home.com Clay discount maximized at twelve hundred dollars. So over a thousand dollars off eeriehome.com Clay valid on new roofing installations only Minimum purchase required restrictions apply. C rep for warranty or promotional details that's E r I e home.com Clay, you ain't imagining it. The world has gone insane. Reclaim your sanity with Clay and Buck. Find them on the free iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

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[Buck Sexton]

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[Clay Travis]

Welcome back into clay and buck. The big breaking news and it is everywhere now. It is on Fox News. It is on the Daily Mail. It is everywhere. Trump preparing to fire Kristi Noem. Well, sorry, Trump has fired Kristi Noem rather. That's on Fox News. But the headline in Daily Mail is quote, after she lied under oath over $220 million vanity campaign. Vanity may have been the undoing here, my friends. Too many appearances holding automatic weapons improperly for no apparent reason and showing up everywhere and the whole thing. A $200 million ad campaign for starring a government employee is a lot of money, everybody.

[Buck Sexton]

For DHS, you can win statewide a lot of times on $10 million campaigns or less. So spending $200 million on this seems to have been the final straw. And again, reports from from Fox News is the only place that has it so far. Mark Wayne Mullen, Republican senator from Oklahoma, is now the head of.

[Clay Travis]

I'd also point out she was asked in this hearing, asked Noem if she had, quote, sexual relations with Corey. This was in a congressional hearing, just to be clear. Asked if she had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski, Noem replied, quote, I am shocked. We're going down and peddling tabloid garbage in this committee, end quote. You could also say no, but you're under oath.

[Buck Sexton]

Wall Reed for you. When we come back. President Trump has posted on Truth Social that Mark Wayne Mullen is in. We'll read exactly what he said. It's a little bit long, but when we come back again, first Cabinet Secretary out took a little bit over a year. Mark Wayne Mullen in. He'll have to get confirmed, but he is coming from the Senate. A lot of times that is very easy, relatively speaking. So I would expect that confirmation will be relatively smooth. But we'll break this down and more when we come back again. Major breaking news Kristi Noem out at dhs. Mark Wayne Mullen in. We'll discuss next get ready for the wildest site your lawn has ever seen. Sunday, Sunday, Sunday this spring Unleash soil science like never before. Witness your custom lawn plan and the transformation to a Stop creating green paradise.

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[Buck Sexton]

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[Buck Sexton]

But without identity, you can't trust they'll

[Clay Travis]

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[Clay Travis]

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