The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

The 2026 midterms are just weeks away—and Ryan Girdusky says the latest polling contains major warning signs for Republicans.
On this episode of It’s a Numbers Game, Ryan breaks down new polling on the generic congressional ballot, President Donald Trump’s approval rating, the economy, immigration, and the issues shaping the battle for control of Congress. He also examines the impact of soaring oil and gas prices and why the cost of living could become one of the defining issues of the midterm elections.
Plus, Ryan discusses Gavin Newsom’s surprising comments about Kamala Harris and the 2028 presidential race, the legal fight over the Trump administration’s public-charge immigration policy, and why India’s growing relationships with Iran, Russia, and the BRICS nations deserve more attention in Washington.
Ryan also weighs in on the controversy surrounding Texas Republican Bo French before answering listener questions about political betting markets, Alberta’s separatist movement, and the political differences between Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sen. John Fetterman.
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Harvard Law professor and renowned attorney Alan Dershowitz joins Tudor Dixon to discuss his new book, “Why I Quit the Dems, and So Should You: The Confessions of a Reluctant Republican,” and explain why he decided to leave the Democratic Party.
Dershowitz discusses his concerns about antisemitism, the Democratic Party’s relationship with Israel, and the political influence of the party’s progressive wing. He and Tudor also examine the political landscape in Michigan, including Abdul El-Sayed, Hassan Piker, Sen. Elissa Slotkin and Jocelyn Benson.
The conversation turns to Sen. John Fetterman, whom Dershowitz praises for breaking with members of his own party, as well as Hillary Clinton’s recent comments about Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel.
Plus, Dershowitz looks ahead to the future of American politics, the 2028 presidential field, Josh Shapiro, JD Vance and Marco Rubio, and explains why he believes the upcoming elections could determine whether the Democratic Party changes direction.
Dershowitz’s new book, “Why I Quit the Dems, and So Should You,” is scheduled for release September 29.
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Twenty-five years after 9/11 and I can't escape the same question I've been asking for thirty years: what are we actually fighting? I spent two decades going after insurgencies overseas, and I'm here to tell you the same insurgency is operating inside America right now — in our institutions, our communities, our families, and our own heads. This one's a solo. It's part briefing, part confession, and by the end, I'll admit it, part sermon.
What you'll hear:
• David breaks down what he's called "the negative insurgency" for twenty years, and why it works exactly like the ones he fought in Afghanistan and Iraq
• Why "it's always been like this" is a lie — and what 150 million dead in the last century should tell you about this one
• Why the war that was supposed to end with bin Laden never ended, and why Joe Kent isn't lying to you
• What actually happens to 300 million people when you kill their religious leader in a strike
• The tell that gives the insurgency away: everybody, on every side, is trying to convince you to hate somebody

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• "Satan rules this world," "you are the steward of God's creation," and the one reason David can't quit — and you can't either
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Lisa Boothe sits down with Crime Prevention Research Center President John Lott for a wide-ranging discussion about illegal immigration, crime, deportations, and the financial cost of prosecuting and incarcerating noncitizens accused of crimes.
Lott breaks down his recent research estimating the taxpayer costs associated with criminal prosecutions, using a Virginia fentanyl case to illustrate how legal proceedings, jail time, public defenders, prosecutors, and eventual incarceration can add up. He argues that a relatively straightforward case can cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars and that violent-crime prosecutions can be substantially more expensive. His published analysis estimates that prosecuting 248,000 people at $150,000 per case would total $37.2 billion, while a $600,000-per-case scenario would approach $149 billion. Those figures are Lott's estimates and depend on the assumptions used in his analysis.
Lisa and Lott also discuss the distinction between being charged with and convicted of a crime, sanctuary policies, ICE enforcement, deportation proceedings, and the challenges of identifying criminal histories from other countries.
Later, the conversation turns to recent U.S. crime trends and Lott's argument that tougher enforcement and increased legal concealed carry can help deter crime.
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Jimmy Lai's imprisonment has become a measure of far more than one man's fate. Steve Yates examines how the jailed Hong Kong publisher's story challenges decades of U.S. assumptions about China's political future, Hong Kong's promised autonomy, and whether Beijing still has room for voices outside Communist Party control. As President Trump prepares for another meeting with Xi Jinping, the case raises difficult questions about leadership, freedom, faith, and the future of U.S.-China relations. Listen and share this episode as Congress revisits Jimmy Lai's case and policymakers weigh what comes next. Follow Nation States with Yates for clear, common-sense insights where Steve Yates serves as your personal national security advisor, breaking down world events in ways that matter to Main Street, not just Washington. Connect with the show at feedback@NationStatesYates.com and follow on X @NSWithYates.
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