The Riley Gaines Act
Episode Stats
Words per Minute
174.02684
Summary
Lieutenant governor Burt Jones joins Jemele to discuss the importance of women s sports in the state of Georgia, including the Riley Gaines Act and SB 92, which would keep men out of women's sports. Jones also discusses his plans for the future of the state and what he wants Georgia to do in the future.
Transcript
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With a towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms and a weighting depth of 900 millimeters,
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You can check out all things Gains for Girls at Outkick.com.
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We always appreciate you liking and sharing these episodes far and wide.
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It helps change minds, which is incredibly important.
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So all that being said, very excited for today's guest.
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But before we get into that, I want to tell you about today's sponsor.
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And go watch last week's episode with CEO Ben Spell.
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But for this week's episode, we've got some exciting things going on in the state of Georgia.
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We, of course, know how President Trump, he won in 2016, he lost Georgia in 2020, and
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Even this week, there is a bill being heard, the Riley Gaines Act, which you can imagine
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But it is just the biggest honor to have a piece of legislation named after me.
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But I understand and I recognize there are really, it being named after me is, there are
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far more people who fought much longer, much harder than I have.
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But nonetheless, this is just a huge honor, bringing this to the forefront in the state
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Which, this executive order that was signed by President Trump, I'm so encouraged to see
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the state of Georgia, what they're doing, how they're continuing to take action, because
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again, that executive order doesn't absolve states from taking the necessary measures
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We are going to talk to today, the lieutenant governor of Georgia, discussing this bill,
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discussing the state of Georgia and his future plans in the state.
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So check it out here, the interview with Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones.
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Well, Lieutenant Governor, I am so grateful that you're on the Gains for Girls podcast.
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We were just discussing off camera, and I've, of course, personally been following the state
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There are two fantastic bills moving forward through the Georgia legislature that would both,
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they both of them would codify President Trump's executive orders to define sex-based words
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One of them is SB 92, sponsored by Senator Dolezal, and the Riley Gaines Act, which is
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just the biggest honor ever, sponsored by Speaker Burns.
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I wanted to ask you, though, why in the world, this comes to a shock to a lot of people that
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So why in the world do you think it's taken this long for Georgia to bring these bills forward?
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It was good seeing you a couple weeks ago at the executive order at the White House, and
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just appreciate everything you're doing for women's sports.
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This is something that we were moved to do two years ago in the Georgia Senate, and obviously
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I'm the lieutenant governor of the state of Georgia, and my role as that is to preside over
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the president of the Senate chambers, and we got it done, and for whatever reason, we
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You know, never could get the numbers there, but I think you helped inspire it, Riley, more
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You know, you came and testified there in the state of Georgia and really put a face with,
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you know, the story behind what went on at Georgia Tech during the NCAA National Championship
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swimming meets, and, you know, and all the other things that's going on at the national
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I think the election of President Trump has given some of these weaker Republicans a
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little more confidence about, you know, wading into some of these cultural wars, but it should
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not have taken so long, but, you know, we're glad that what is moving forward, as you well
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know, Senator Greg Dolezal has done a lot of hard work on this issue, and we've been very
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So our version passed out of the Senate last week, and there will be a version coming out
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There'll be a version coming out of the House, but at the end of the day, it's going to get
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done, and we'll have you down and make sure that you get the needed credit, and we appreciate
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all your effort and what you've done for women's sports.
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It's definitely been a collective effort, really spearheaded by leadership.
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Like you have shown Speaker Byrne, Senator Dolezal, all fantastic people who, really on a personal
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level, I love and from a professional level that I really just admire.
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Georgia is a unique state as it pertains to this bill and these protections that ultimately
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will ensure women of opportunities, because it's almost like they've been protected under,
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So what do you expect to happen with these bills, and how can we, as Georgians who listen
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to this and watch this, but really more broadly as the general public, how can we ensure they
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Well, I think the momentum is there, and I think it's going to happen, and you're right.
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Georgia is a unique place, but it gives you a good feel for what the rest of the country
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Here in Georgia, if you would have told me when I first got elected to the state senate
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a few years ago that we'd have to be waiting in cultural wars here in Georgia and really
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have to put some effort behind getting measures done just to, there's just our common sense
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measures that should have never really got into the mainstream limelight, but it's indicative
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of what has gone on nationally, where things like this, whether it's boys and girls sports
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or whatever else, have been shoved down the American public's throat to make you, to force
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you into having to act on a measure like this and putting it in statute, because the last
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thing we want to do, I think you're probably like me and 90% of the other people here in
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the country, what people do day to day, it doesn't concern you nor it bothers you, but
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when you start having it shoved down your throat and you look to be the one who is at fault for
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not believing in such measures like that, it makes it necessary, and that's what we moved
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to do, and all the help that you've given us so far has been great, it's going to get
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done, it's going to get on the governor's desk and get signed, and we just greatly appreciate,
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you know, I'd like to tell you, let's come and lobby and all this other kind of stuff,
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but I think all the hard work's been done, and it's just a matter of having the respective
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We'll certainly be watching and cheering you on and definitely keeping the pressure there.
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You mentioned the unique political landscape of Georgia.
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I mean, I think of even the few past elections that we've had.
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If I'm not wrong, President Trump, he won Georgia in 2016, lost in 2020, won again in 2024.
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You have two Democratic U.S. senators, Republican majorities in the legislature, and of course,
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I mean, what is the political environment in Georgia that has led to such big swings in
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I mean, look, Georgia's always been very independent, you know, minded state.
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I will tell you that, and we are, you know, a very historically very conservative state.
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But, you know, this, you know, a lot of people, 2020, there was a lot of tension that was put
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on 2020 because of what happened with the presidential race and those U.S. Senate races.
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Now, I will tell you, there was a lot of questionable things that went on during the 2020 race, and,
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you know, we don't have to rehash those, but there were a lot of questionable things that went
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on during that race, not just here in Georgia, but in other places, and I'm not afraid to
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But Georgia, I think, is shown, illustrated that it is a red-leaning state just based on
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In 22 is when I was running for lieutenant governor.
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Every one of our constitutional offices were retained by Republicans.
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You know, we had a very close Senate race between Herschel Walker and Warnock, and Herschel
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almost got him there in the end, but he was unable to.
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But I think in 26, you're going to see a very popular administration.
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I think you're going to see an opportunity for us to take that U.S. Senate seat back.
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And then also in the governor's race, I think we will retain the governor's seat as well.
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But it doesn't change the fact that, yeah, Georgia can have a little independent streak about it.
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Yeah, you mentioned Senator Warnock, Reverend Warnock, which I speak for myself when I say
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that I believe Reverend to be a bit of a stretch.
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They will both have to vote soon, I imagine, on a fairness and women's sports bill in the U.S.
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Both of these senators, both Georgia senators, they failed the stand with women scorecard
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by voting against even allowing a vote to be taken on this same bill last year.
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Of course, this is an issue that you've seen at the local, state, and federal level.
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Definitely not among the general public, but again, at least in terms of elected representation,
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Do you expect their votes to fall in line with that of Democratic Party values?
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You know, that's a great question, Ted, quite frankly.
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I think you might have a split vote, to tell you the truth.
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I could see definitely Ossoff with him coming up in 26 and him trying to really thread the
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needle on being the middle-of-the-road moderate Democrat, which he's not, but he is at least
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I could see him voting for it, and I could see Warnock voting against it, you know, but
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this ought not to even be a question, quite frankly.
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I mean, like I said, this goes back to just a common-sense issue that the Democrats seem
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to be, you know, we actually had two Democrats that broke with their leadership and voted
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And so there are a few people who are breaking away on the Democratic side from this issue,
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but there's a lot of them, particularly in Democratic leaderships, is doubling down on
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Look, if they want to double down on it, you know, I welcome that because it makes their,
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it makes, it weakens the individuals and it weakens the parties as well.
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And these, these issues, several other ones who are big issues in the eyes of the American
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public, like I said, if they want to keep doubling down on, on, on these types of culture wars,
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and then, you know, it might be a long time before they get back into a position of power.
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The only, the only people that it has proven to be effective for their tactics of doubling
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down are, I would say, conservatives or really, again, common sense, everyday Americans.
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And you mentioned these, these issues that, that really shouldn't be issues.
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I was so disheartened to see Senator Warnock's vote on the, the Lake and Riley Act, of course,
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from, from his state where this tragedy occurred.
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Last question for you, Governor Kemp, he's serving his last term as Georgia's 83rd governor.
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Uh, so I wanted to ask you, you know, what is the gubernatorial in 2026 in the state of
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Can we potentially see a Lieutenant Governor, Burt Jones, uh, run for governor?
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Uh, you know, I've just been telling everybody that, that I was going to get through this legislative
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session because obviously there's going to be a lot, you know, if I, if I make that jump,
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there's going to be so many guys, you know, seven or five or six, seven, eight guys could
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be many, who knows that we'll try to run for the Lieutenant Governor's spot and, and there'll
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be more people, uh, who will get into that governor's race.
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Um, but yeah, if I, I'll make a decision, a final decision in the, in the, in the coming
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months, but I am going to get finished with legislative session in April.
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Take the wife and kids on a little spring break and, and, uh, chit chat about it a little
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Cause it is a big decision, but you know, I'm one of those, I love the state of Georgia
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and I love, uh, what's going on right now in the state of Georgia and I've positioned
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And I think, uh, if given the opportunity, sit that next role pretty well as to, as, as
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And so, uh, so yeah, so we'll look at it and Hey, look, if I, when I get ready to announce
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Riley, I just need you to come down here because you got a bigger fan base and then what I do,
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So I just need you down here to help, uh, help kick off the, uh, the campaign for us
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when, when, when, and if we get ready to pull that trigger.
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Hey, well, well, I'll, I'll speak totally selfishly when I say, uh, I would love to see
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We'll continue to, to amplify and cheer you on.
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Of course, we're going to be following both bills, um, SB 92.
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And of course the Riley Gaines act, uh, as, as they hopefully get on governor Kemp's desk
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We want to have you down to, uh, you know, help, uh, celebrate, uh, you know, women's
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I've just wondered where all the feminists has been.
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I can remember the title nine fights and, and, uh, and they had been very quiet on this
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And that's kind of, yeah, when I, when I find out, I'll let you know.
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Good to be with you and a good scene and best of luck in the near future.
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Thank you guys for tuning into the gains for girls podcasts.
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Uh, I'll be testifying on the Riley Gaines act tomorrow.
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So we'll be sure to put some clips out on online and on social.
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So you guys can, can amplify and continue to put the pressure on these people.
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Uh, you heard a little bit from LG Jones about what this, the state of Georgia is, uh, but
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we need to keep putting the pressure on these people, especially those weak, weak Republicans
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But unfortunately, uh, that is the state that we live in.
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Uh, as always appreciate you guys being here outkick.com, check out all things gains for
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And again, encourage you to check out good ranchers, uh, watch last week's episode to
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learn a little bit more about good ranchers and why you should invest.
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And yes, I say invest, uh, because that's what you're doing.
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Uh, and as we have learned, especially over the last presidential campaign cycle, uh, there's
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not a lot of things that are more worthy to invest in than your health.
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And we will see you again next week on the gains for girls podcast.