The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show – Weekly Review with FL Lieutenant Gov. Jay Collins

Episode Date: October 25, 2025
Host: Clay Travis & Buck Sexton
Guest: Florida Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins
Summary Coverage: Middle hour (H3)

Overview

In this lively episode, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton broadcast from Fort Wayne, Indiana, celebrating a local affiliate’s 100th anniversary and diving into the biggest news stories of the week. The episode’s central focus is a discussion with Florida Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, who shares insights into Florida politics, property taxes, and the state’s rising influence as a conservative beacon. The hosts also debate the latest political scandals and the shifting landscape of American politics, all with their trademark humor and candor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Maine Senate Race and Political Scandal

• [00:22 – 09:52]
  • Scandal Unfolds: Clay recounts a controversy involving Democrat Graham Platner in Maine’s Senate primary—Platner, a former Marine, revealed he had a Nazi "death’s head" tattoo he got while drunk in 2007 and has since covered it up.
  • Party Double Standards: Clay and Buck argue that if a Republican had a similar story, the media reaction and consequences would be far more severe.
  • Cultural References: They parallel the scandal to a scene from "Succession" (TV show) and riff on cancel culture:
    • Buck: “You never got a Nazi tattoo on your chest, right?” (06:12)
  • Identity Politics: Clay discusses the fracturing of the Democratic “identity coalition” and how changes in the political landscape have undermined old strategies.
    • Clay: “The whole idea with opening the borders was that it was going to give Democrats a perpetual win ... has now blown up in their face.” (08:40)

2. Shifting Political Strategies & Media Satire

• [09:52 – 13:33]
  • Term Dilution: Buck observes that accusations like “Nazi” and “fascist” are so common now that they've lost their sting.
    • Buck: “They've desensitized us to claims that people are Nazis or fascists because they say it so often...” (09:52)
  • Attention Economy: The hosts joke that political fame now often comes from saying outrageous things on social media or podcasts.
    • Buck: “Get famous on crazy and then translate that into a movement and into dollars.” (13:17)
  • Democrat Messaging: They mention Jasmine Crockett’s rise via outlandish statements and joke about Gavin Newsom “evolving” away from his prior positions for a presidential run.

3. Interview with FL Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins

• [21:27 – 30:10]
  • Good Governance in Florida
    • Clay opens by lauding Ron DeSantis’s leadership and asks Collins how Floridians can maintain state governance success.
    • Jay Collins: “Say what you mean, mean what you say, follow up with actions. That is a great recipe for good governance.” (22:03)
  • Property Tax Reform
    • Issue Raised: Buck probes Florida’s desire to abolish property taxes on homesteaded properties, arguing true ownership is impossible under perpetual taxation.
      • Buck: “You have to continuously rent [your house] from state and or local government... it's problematic.” (23:34)
    • Jay Collins: Pushes for a ballot initiative to exempt homeowners, stating it’s only “6-8% of county budgets” and solvable without harming services.
      • Collins: “No one's going to cut the cops, no one's going to cut the firefighters, no one's going to cut education... it's doable.” (25:09)
  • In-Migration & Florida’s Conservative Status
    • Clay asks about Florida’s new arrivals fleeing progressive states, especially if NYC elects a “communist” mayor.
    • Jay Collins: “We are the conservative proving grounds of America... I think Florida is a light, right? We are shining on that because we're leading the way.” (26:46)
    • Collins sharply criticizes NYC’s political trajectory, predicting “a caravan” of more Northeast transplants if radical leadership continues.
  • On Gubernatorial Ambitions
    • Buck asks if Jay will run for governor as DeSantis is term-limited.
    • Jay Collins: “We really finalized kind of our approach here and we're chewing on what our decision is going to be. So I would say stay tuned, we'll have some information to share here soonish.” (28:18)
  • What’s Next for DeSantis?
    • Jay Collins: “He’s a conservative juggernaut... there will be a lot of opportunities. Not really sure where he’s going to go, but I’d bring some popcorn and watch.” (29:21)

4. Trump, Shutdown, and Health Care Costs

• [16:39 – 19:25]
  • Trump stands firm on the government shutdown, refusing to negotiate with Democrats unless they “open up the country.”
    • Trump Audio Clip: “I will only meet if they let the country open... people want to go back to work.” (17:29)
  • Critique of health care subsidies: The hosts agree subsidies often drive prices up, making health care more costly for everyone.
    • Clay & Buck: Discuss Jon Stewart’s acknowledgment of this point, but mock his belated realization.

5. Political Satire and Listener Engagement

• [33:21 – 36:49]
  • Hosts rib on political “good looks,” with jokes about Gavin Newsom, Chuck Schumer, and Illinois’s Governor Pritzker.
  • They also mock Joy Behar’s claim she wouldn’t let a Trump supporter save her via the Heimlich:
    • Clay: “I would give Joy Behar the Heimlich... That’s just how much of a gentleman I am.” (35:46)
  • Listeners call in to criticize New York politics ("You people are back-crap crazy…") and the show references New Yorkers fleeing to Florida and the pitfalls of local political extremism.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Say what you mean, mean what you say, follow up with actions. That is a great recipe for good governance.”
  — Jay Collins, on DeSantis and Florida’s political ethos (22:03)

• “The whole idea with opening the borders was that it was going to give Democrats a perpetual win ... [but] has now blown up in their face.”
  — Clay Travis on the collapse of the Democrats’ identity politics strategy (08:40)

• “They've desensitized us to claims that people are Nazis or fascists because they say it so often...”
  — Buck Sexton on the overuse and dilution of serious accusations (09:52)

• “Get famous on crazy and then translate that into a movement and into dollars.”
  — Buck Sexton on modern political/media tactics (13:17)

• “We are the conservative proving grounds of America. That's who we are ... I think Florida is a light.”
  — Jay Collins on Florida’s outsized role in national politics (26:46)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:22 – Maine’s Senate race and Nazi tattoo scandal discussion
• 03:11 – Jay Collins interjects initial skepticism about the scandal’s reality
• 08:40 – Identity politics coalition collapse
• 09:52 – “Nazi” and “fascist” labels lose meaning
• 13:17 – Fame and outrageousness in politics/media
• 21:27 – Lt. Gov. Jay Collins interview begins
• 22:03 – Recipe for good governance in Florida
• 23:34 – Debate on true home ownership and property taxes
• 25:09–25:48 – Collins on funding services without property taxes
• 26:46 – Florida as the conservative proving ground, migration from blue states
• 28:18 – Collins addresses possible governor run (“soonish”)
• 29:21 – What’s next for DeSantis?
• 17:29 – Trump shutdown audio; refusal to negotiate
• 35:46 – Clay: “I would give Joy Behar the Heimlich...”
• 36:23 – Listener from Minnesota slams NYC politics

Tone & Style Notes

The episode features the hosts’ classic sarcastic humor, quick-witted banter, and pointed political commentary. Jay Collins speaks with military directness and practical optimism about Florida’s future, contrasting with the hosts’ more satirical takedowns of national news and political figures. The energy is lively, occasionally bombastic, and infused with cultural references, sports analogies, and moments of self-deprecation.

Useful For:

• Catching up on debates over property tax reform and Florida’s political future
• Understanding the political climate in key states (Maine, Texas, Florida, NYC)
• Hearing how political media personalities satirize modern outrage cycles and scandal culture
• Getting Lt. Gov. Jay Collins’ inside perspective on Florida’s leadership and upcoming decisions