Why a former Bachelorette told The Bachelor to "ask who they voted for"

After political differences ended her engagement, the Bachelorette’s Becca Kufrin advised the current Bachelor to ask contestants about their voting history.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 29: Rebecca Kufrin attends the Build Series to discuss "The Bachelor Live On Stage" Tour at Build Studio on January 29, 2020 in New York City. ()
(Image credit: Photo by Jim Spellman/Getty Images)

The Bachelorette’s Becca Kufrin has revealed the one question she wishes she’d asked her men: who they voted for in the 2016 presidential election. 

The reality TV star, who picked Garrett Yrigoyen as her fiancé in 2018, realized the importance of discussing politics after their romance crumbled over the summer. 

Never wanting someone to repeat her mistake, she made sure to share her relationship advice with current Bachelor star, Matt James

"I told him, look, if I was the Bachelorette again, the second I walked into the house after meeting everyone I would say, 'Who did you vote for and why? Let's talk about it,'" Kufrin told Insider. 

With the show's infamously apolitical reputation, Becca knows well that production would have scrapped this scene to the cutting room floor. 

"There's no way in hell they'd show that conversation. But for me, especially living through this past year, it would be so important to me,” she explained. 

Becca learned the consequences of avoiding political conversation the hard way. After becoming engaged to Garrett, she was shocked to discover his views on various social issues. 

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Garrett cemented his views on social media for all to see by liking several memes that mocked the immigrant and transgender community. He even liked a post that questioned a school shooting survivor's testimony by implying he was a crisis actor. 

Although Garrett apologized for his behavior, Becca was deeply concerned by the past of her husband-to-be. Their political differences became a point of conflict as she worried he still harbored the same hateful views. 

"Why did you do this and what was your thought process at this point?" Becca asked him during one of their many challenging discussions. "Has it changed? Can you learn? Can you grow? Can you move on from this?" 

Garrett's online activity raised alarm bells again last year when he posted an Instagram image supporting Blue Lives Matter in June. During this politically tense time, Becca was forced to accept that her relationship may be on the rocks. Although she insisted her fiancé was a good person, she also condemned his post as 'tone-deaf.' 

Just three months later, the couple announced they had gone their separate ways. Garrett admitted that she struggled to see a future together because of their disagreements. 

“I was like...what's important to me? What's important to him?" Becca recalled. "Are we going to be able to make a lasting relationship for a lifetime off of our differences?"

While we can’t confirm if Matt James took her advice to talk politics with this season’s contestants, there’s one thing he hasn’t been shy about: his religious views. The real-estate broker and first Black Bachelor lead has been upfront about his faith from the get-go, leading the 32 awe-struck ladies in a Christian prayer circle during his opening speech of the premiere show. 

It looks like, at the very least, there won’t be any confusion about where the wedding ceremony will take place for this season’s winner. 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.


Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.