AI Summary
5 min readThe stock market hit a new all-time high on Tuesday, the S&P 500 and Dow Jones both setting records, while Michigan held its primary elections and a Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate generated national attention for past statements calling for the cancellation of Thanksgiving and the abolition of prisons. The episode covered these developments alongside a lengthy discussion of the WNBA's refusal to ban biological males from competing, which prompted host Clay Travis to publicly offer $10 million for a basketball game between the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces and a boys high school state title team.
Record stock market and a bet on America
The hosts opened with an upbeat assessment of the economy, noting that the S&P 500 and Dow Jones were both trading at all-time highs. Clay Travis reminded listeners that in April 2025, when the S&P 500 had dropped to around 5,000, "the economic geniuses of the expert class told all of us that the economy was headed for a recession." He said the program had advised listeners to hold stocks and buy if they had extra cash. Since then, the S&P 500 has risen nearly 3,000 points, delivering well over 50% returns in the past year. Buck Sexton reinforced the point by contrasting equities with crypto: "Bitcoin down 50% from its high. Bitcoiners are having a rough one." He argued that betting on America is straightforward becau
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What you'll learn
- 1 (02:03) **Michigan Primary Preview** - Clay and Buck set up the day's big Michigan primary races, including the Democrat Senate primary between Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed and the Republican governor primary for the open seat after Gretchen Whitmer.
- 2 (03:49) **Record High Stock Markets** - The hosts highlight the S&P 500 and Dow Jones surging to all-time record highs, contrasting this with expert predictions of recession from April 2025.
- 3 (05:52) **Texas Senate Race and Ken Paxton Tease** - The hosts address rumors that the Texas Senate seat is competitive, teasing an upcoming interview with Ken Paxton to discuss his race against Democrat James Talarico.
- 4 (09:26) **Francesca Hong's Thanksgiving Controversy** - The hosts play a clip of Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong refusing to back down from her past statement that Thanksgiving should be canceled, calling it a "racist holiday."
- 5 (13:11) **"Race Communism" Ideology** - Buck introduces the concept of "race communism" and ties it to Francesca Hong's worldview, arguing that she sees everything through a racial lens of constant victimization.
- 6 (14:59) **Midterm Election Optimism and Concern** - The hosts debate whether far-left nominees like Hong and El-Sayed can win in purple states, with Buck expressing optimism that they will lose while Clay voices serious concern about the midterms.
- 7 (22:14) **Nashville Balls and WNBA Transgender Athlete Controversy** - Clay outlines his $10 million challenge offering a boys high school state championship team to play against the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Meet my friends, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton! If you love Verdict, the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show might also be in your audio wheelhouse. Politics, news analysis, and some pop culture and comedy thrown in too.
Here’s a sample episode recapping four takeaways. Give the guys a listen and then follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
Clay Travis and Buck Sexton talk about the Democratic Senate contest featuring Abdul El-Sayed and examining how the outcome could provide insight into the national appeal of progressive and socialist candidates beyond deeply blue cities such as New York and Los Angeles. They argue that Michigan and Wisconsin serve as political testing grounds for whether increasingly far-left Democratic candidates can succeed in competitive swing states. They also talk about how the Democratic Party is moving further toward socialist and identity-based politics.
Clay and Buck analyzed several emerging Democratic candidates, including Michigan Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed and Wisconsin gubernatorial hopeful Francesca Hong, framing both as representative of the party’s progressive wing. They debated whether these candidates would strengthen Republican chances in key battleground states or whether they reflect a broader ideological shift within the Democratic electorate. The conversation repeatedly returned to the question of whether ideas that resonate in major urban centers can translate into statewide success in politically divided states.
Clay and Buck discussed the ongoing controversy surrounding the WNBA, Sophie Cunningham, and transgender participation policies in women’s sports. Clay discussed growing attention surrounding his satirical proposal to launch the fictional “Nashville Balls” WNBA franchise, a team composed entirely of biological males identifying as women. The concept was referenced by multiple commentators and media personalities, including Megyn Kelly and others, who argued that the hypothetical scenario highlights concerns about fairness and competitive balance in women’s athletics. Clay and Buck described the proposal as a form of political and cultural satire designed to underscore what they view as contradictions in current sports policies.
An extended interview featuring Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who discussed his Senate campaign, the state of the race, and his Democratic opponent, Texas State Representative James Talarico. Paxton addressed polling that suggests a competitive contest, argued that many Texans are still unfamiliar with Talarico’s policy positions, and contended that Democratic fundraising networks and out-of-state donors are heavily investing in the race in hopes of flipping a traditionally Republican Senate seat.
Clay and Buck described what they called “race communism” as a driving force behind many mode
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