With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, the biggest question facing Republicans is clear: can they win without Donald Trump on the ballot?

In this in-depth conversation, Lisa is joined veteran strategist John McLaughlin breaks down the critical turnout gap shaping recent elections, why Democrats may currently hold a slight advantage, and what Republicans must do now to rebuild the coalition that powered victories in 2016 and 2024.

From the importance of Trump-era issue alignment—including immigration, tax cuts, and working-class economic policy—to the danger of voter drop-off in 2025 races, this episode dives into the data, the strategy, and the stakes.

We also explore:

• Why Trump voters aren’t turning out at the same levels—and how to fix it

• The 80% issues Republicans may be failing to capitalize on, like voter ID and border security

• How Democratic policies on taxes, spending, and immigration could reshape the midterms

• The growing disconnect between economic data and voter perception

• Why messaging—and where voters get their information—may decide the election

• Early insights into the 2028 Democratic primary battle, including Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, and the rising progressive wing

Plus: What history—from the 2002 and 2010 elections—can teach us about defying midterm trends, and whether Republicans are making the same mistakes all over again.

👉 Bottom line: It’s not about personality—it’s about issues, turnout, and communication. And right now, both parties are fighting to define all three.

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1. Tribute to Robert Duvall

• Robert Duvall passed away at 95 years old.
• Hosts discuss his most iconic roles, including:
  • To Kill a Mockingbird (as Boo Radley)
  • The Godfather (as Tom Hagen)
  • Lonesome Dove
  • Apocalypse Now
  • Gone in 60 Seconds
  • Secondhand Lions
• Emphasis on Duvall’s legacy as one of the greatest American actors.
• Noted that Duvall chose not to have a funeral, instead asking people to enjoy a good movie.

2. Gavin Newsom Controversy

• A previous podcast episode involving Gavin Newsom.
• Newsom responded on social media, accusing Ted Cruz of attacking his dyslexia.
• Ted Cruz replied stating he called Newsom “historically illiterate,” not unable to read.
• Cruz references President Eisenhower federalizing the National Guard in 1957 as historical evidence contradicting Newsom's claim.
• We poke fun at Newsom’s reaction and discuss how social media posts performed online.
• Referenced AOC, Gretchen Whitmer, and Gavin Newsom attending a meeting in Munich

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Are We Going to Strike Iran?

In‑depth foreign policy analysis featuring Steve Yates, senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation and former White House national security official, who breaks down the intensifying risk of U.S. military strikes against Iran. Yates outlines how the administration is negotiating over Iran’s nuclear program even as it positions F‑35s, F‑22s, and other assets for what he describes as a “high likelihood” of targeted military action within the next two weeks. He explains that any strike would be aimed at degrading Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities—not launching a full‑scale war—while regional powers aligned under the Abraham Accords weigh their own interests in the potential collapse of the Iranian regime.

The conversation then turns to the complex geopolitical landscape involving Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba, where Yates argues that the U.S. is using “smart power”—economic, political, and strategic pressure—to create conditions for gradual regime transformation without repeating the mistakes of Iraq. Clay and Buck press Yates on possible successors inside Iran, the role of the Iranian diaspora, and whether Gulf nations secretly prefer the current Ayatollah in power as a known, contained adversary. This leads into a moment of levity as they mock Rep. Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez’s widely panned appearance at the Munich Security Conference, where she struggled to answer a basic question about China–Taiwan tensions. Yates jokes that even a quick AI search would have prepared her better.

Dirty Dem Playbook

The James Talarico–Stephen Colbert controversy, which Clay and Buck argue has massively backfired on Democrats. They trace how CBS refused to air the Talarico interview over potential FCC equal‑time violations involving Texas Senate candidate Jasmine Crockett, but the decision instead triggered a “Streisand Effect”, catapulting Talarico to viral fame. CNN’s election data analyst Harry Enten confirms that Google searches for Talarico skyrocketed nationally and especially in Texas—over 1,100%—dramatically shifting prediction markets toward him in the upcoming Democratic primary. Clay argues that the real political victim is Jasmine Crockett, likening the situation to the Democratic Party “rigging” the 2016 primary against Bernie Sanders.

The Trans Trend

Karol Markowicz, co‑host in the Clay & Buck Podcast Network, who joins to analyze two high‑profile transgender‑related family mass murders—one in British Columbia and one in Rhode Island. The hosts argue that political activism and online rhetoric have normalized delusional thinking while discouraging honest discussions about mental health. Markowicz highlights the sudden spike in youth identifying as transgender as a “social contagion,” noting huge differences in rates between states like New York and Florida. The segment also covers a groundbreaking legal development: NYU Langone halting gender-transition procedures for minors amid growing malpractice lawsuits, including a recent multimillion‑dollar jury award to a detransitioner.

The show then pivots to cultural commentary, including Markowicz's evaluation of Taylor Swift’s cultural power, where she agrees that Swift is comparable in scale to global icons like the Beatles and Madonna. Clay and Buck debate Swift’s influence across generations and joke about Clay’s much‑discussed mustache. The hosts also highlight uplifting Olympic news as Team USA men’s hockey star Quinn Hughes goes viral for calling America “the greatest country in the world” after scoring a sudden‑death goal over Sweden—one of the few unapologetically patriotic moments they say mainstream media rarely promotes anymore.

Pro-Trump Granny

Clay and Buck spotlight a powerful moment from President Trump’s Black History Month event at the White House, where an impassioned grandmother, Floresia Cook, went viral for defending Trump’s record on crime and public safety. They note Trump’s warm statements about Jesse Jackson following his passing. The hosts wrap with an economic update: 30‑year mortgage rates have hit a four‑year low, edging just above 6%, which they say may begin to thaw the frozen housing market locked up by years of Biden‑era inflation. They end on a light note about a typo discovered in Buck’s bestselling book Manufacturing Delusion.

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