The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Weekly Review With Clay and Buck H3 – How the TN Election Affects the Future
Date: December 6, 2025
Source: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This hour of "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show" delivers a spirited wrap-up of the 2025 special elections, focusing on Tennessee's 7th Congressional District, the implications for Republican and Democratic strategies, and what turnout trends mean for 2026 and beyond. The hosts weave in humor, cultural commentary, and audience interactions, touching on migration patterns, pop culture, and current political narratives. Clay and Buck also discuss broader national dynamics, like the border situation, crime rates, and international affairs, particularly Venezuela.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. 2025 Election Results and Turnout (02:37–07:31)

• Tennessee 7th Congressional District:

  • Clay celebrates Matt Van Epps’ nine-point victory, touting it as a crucial win to keep the district Republican.
  • He underscores traditionally low turnout in special elections, but frames the result as evidence that “people showed up to keep Democrats from trying to steal this seat.”

• Broader Election Trends:

  • General summary: "Democrats won in blue places, Republicans won in red places." (03:46)
  • Clay identifies the looming turnout question for 2026, especially with Trump not on the ballot.

• National Policy and Local Crime:

  • Clay attributes declining crime rates to Republican leadership: “Trump has solved issues with the border... crime rates are plummeting. My home city of Nashville, 60-year low...” (04:38)
  • Emphasizes improved safety in cities like Nashville, Memphis (with a 55% decline in murders), and Washington D.C.
  • Frames the upcoming election as one to be decided on issues of affordability and the economic record of the Biden administration.

2. Democratic Messaging & Grassroots Movements (06:56–07:46)

• Afton Bain’s Concession Speech:

  • Buck plays and comments on a fiery concession by Democratic candidate Afton Bain, who claims to have “built a grassroots movement” and insists, “the south is not silent because the south has something to say.”
  • Clay mocks the delivery and charisma of Bain, calling her “next level delusion” and predicting continued Democratic losses with such candidates.

• Modern Political ‘Charisma’:

  • Clay and Buck discuss the youth term “rizzless” as the modern opposite of charisma; Bain is assessed as “rizzless” (12:05–12:46).

3. Migration Trends & Partisan Shifts (07:46–12:46)

• Red States Get Redder:

  • The hosts discuss fears that transplants from blue states will shift red states leftward. Clay rebuts: “The data is showing the people who are moving to these states are actually redder than the people already living there.”
  • Buck shares a personal anecdote about gun store culture in Florida and how new arrivals are ardently conservative (09:29–10:00).

• Migration’s Impact on National Politics:

  • Buck notes that Florida flipped from a 250,000 Democrat registration advantage pre-DeSantis to a million-plus Republican edge during DeSantis’s tenure (10:21–10:32).
  • Clay adds, “Maybe that exists ... but they’re actually making the red redder. That’s what the data is reflecting…” (10:43)

• Complexities of Migration:

  • Discussion about the “Don’t California my Texas/Tennessee” sentiment, and how it might make swing states like New York bluer as conservatives leave.

4. Audience Engagement and Cultural Sidebar (19:11–22:57)

• Listener Emails:

  • Susan from Spokane laments her city’s liberal shift due to Seattle transplants, highlighting intra-state migration issues.
  • Buck distinguishes this from interstate moves, arguing that out-of-state migrants from blue states to red states have a bigger cultural impact.

• Humor and Family Life:

  • Banter about “cool kid” lingo (rizz, broccoli haircuts), with Clay sharing tales about his sons’ fashionable hair and how slang evolves.
  • Buck jokes: “We are not uncs. We are full of Riz on Clay and Buck.” (13:52)

5. Venezuela and Geopolitical Unrest (24:30–27:25)

• Potential Ouster of Maduro:

  • Reports surface of the Trump administration giving Nicolás Maduro a deadline to leave Venezuela.
  • Clay: “Do we do anything? What do you think happens? Put your CIA analyst cap on here.”
  • Buck posits that Maduro will likely negotiate a departure (“I think he’s gonna go.” 25:40), with backchannel negotiations hinted.

• Historical Parallels:

  • Caller John from Oklahoma compares the situation to Operation Just Cause and Noriega's ouster.
  • Clay argues for regime change, tying Venezuelan stability to U.S. interests and immigration trends.

6. Lifestyle and Weather Preferences (29:09–36:43)

• Regional Preferences:

  • Callers discuss their love (or disdain) for cold weather and activities like skiing.
  • Clay admits to preferring ‘après ski’ over actual skiing, humorously recounting an incident hitting a tree while learning.

• Pop Culture Parody:

  • Extended tongue-in-cheek discussion about the show “Yellowstone” and how TV glamorizes Montana summers, ignoring the harsh realities of winter.
  • Buck: “Montana is the coldest state in America on average in the winter… it’s freakishly cold...” (34:27)
  • Clay jokes about “transplants” unprepared for rural cold weather, connecting back to migration topics.

7. Show Closer: Listener Voicemails & Lighthearted Exchange (41:39–44:23)

• Audience Banter:
  • Playful ribbing over Buck’s supposed “bougie” lifestyle and defense of keeping the house warm for his wife.
  • Humorous reference to “man card” and spousal approval, with listeners chiming in to support the hosts.
  • Light story about a raccoon getting drunk in a liquor store, closing the episode on a comical note.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the TN Election:
  “Congratulations to Congressman elect Matt Van Epps. He has elected been elected to represent my district here in Tennessee. He won by nine points. Kicked the crazy Democrat to the curb.”
  —Clay Travis (02:37)

• On Turnout Dynamics:
  “What’s turnout going to look like with Trump off the ballot? I think that is a very valid concern as we sit here roughly 11 months before the midterm elections of 2026.”
  —Clay Travis (03:55)

• On Border and Crime:
  “Trump has solved issues with the border... crime rates are plummeting. My home city of Nashville, 60-year low.”
  —Clay Travis (04:38)

• Afton's 'Rizzless' Speech:
  “What is the opposite of charisma? Like, what is the technical opposite? …This chick thought she was going to be able to go to Washington D.C. on behalf of the state of Tennessee is a delusion. That is next level.”
  —Clay Travis and Co-host (07:31–07:46)

• On Blue-to-Red Migration:
  “The people who are moving to these states are actually redder than the people who are already living there.”
  —Clay Travis (09:49)

  “Florida went from a 250,000 Democrat registration advantage pre DeSantis … to in this year of the DeSantis era of Florida, a million Republican advantage in registration.”
  —Co-host (10:21–10:32)

• On Pop Culture Lingo:
  “If you have no Riz, you are rizzless. So that would be the opposite of charisma in the modern lingo. You are rizzless. And so I would say Afton Bain. Riseless.”
  —Clay Travis (12:05)

• On Skiing Disasters:
  “I hit a tree. Not going that fast, but fast enough that when I hit the tree, I thought, you know what? …If I seriously injured myself trying to learn how to ski or snowboard, would I be thinking to myself, hey, you know what? I’m glad I was trying to do this? Or would I think as I was laying there amid the branches in the tree, this was really dumb.”
  —Clay Travis (30:12)

• On Yellowstone (the Show):
  “They just murder people who don’t want to be cowboys anymore, anymore, and bury the bodies. Like, that’s not cool. And Yellowstone—the whole thing is absolutely preposterous.”
  —Co-host (33:40–34:11)

• Closing Audience Banter:
  “Not sacrificing his man card because he’s pleasing his woman. My house stays at 68 degrees year round because that’s the way my wife likes it… And Clay, my wife picked up your balls the other day. No other man can say that.”
  —Listener voicemail (44:22)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• TN 7th Election Discussion, 2025 Results: 02:37–07:31
• Afton Bain’s Speech & Charisma Discussion: 06:56–12:46
• Red/Blue State Migration Trends: 07:46–12:46
• Listener Emails on Migration: 19:11–22:57
• Venezuela/International Affairs: 24:30–27:25
• Cold vs Warm Weather Chat, TV Shows: 29:09–36:43
• Show Close, Listener Calls & Lighthearted Banter: 41:39–44:23

Overall Tone & Takeaways

The hour is characteristically energetic, doused with humor, banter, and a staunchly conservative perspective. The hosts use Tennessee’s election to springboard into themes of demographic shifts, the future of both parties, and the contrast between “real America” and the coasts. Cultural commentary on youth slang, fashion, and TV provides accessible levity, while audience emails and calls enhance a participatory atmosphere.

Listeners can expect:

• Election analysis through a conservative, upbeat lens
• Witty cultural asides and generational jokes
• Engaged discussion about migration and its political meaning
• Humorous self-deprecation and rapport with the audience

For more, find The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show on the iHeartRadio app or your favorite podcast platform.