Everything HGTV Star Erin Napier Has Said About Politics
HGTV star Erin Napier has become a household name, thanks to her and her husband, Ben Napier's hit reality show "Home Town." The beloved couple is known for their ability to give old houses a new lease on life, but as it goes in the world of entertainment, fans have been curious about their political views and have kept a close eye on especially Erin's social media accounts to try and glean what her political affiliation is. She's often left fans wondering, only briefly touching on the 2024 election when she polled her fans on who they'll be voting for — and the results made headlines.
Napier took to Instagram Stories to ask her followers whether they planned on voting red or blue, saying she was "genuinely curious" (via Entertainment Now). When Napier shared the poll results with her followers, some were surprised by the results. Of the 71,000 people who cast their vote, 48% said Vice President Kamala Harris had their vote. 52% said they were going to vote for Donald Trump. Napier shared that most of the votes had come from women.
This might have come as a shock for some — many expected women to rally for Harris during the election because her campaign championed women's rights, but preliminary results from exit polls showed that, surprisingly, fewer women voted for Harris than for President Joe Biden and 2016 presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton. The Trump camp, meanwhile, did significantly better among young female voters. Why? Some argue that Trump's celebrity, brashness, and flair for the dramatic made him more visible and attractive whereas Harris' careful campaigning did the opposite. In retrospect, the poll Napier shared on Instagram was an indication of what was to come.
She hasn't made her political views public
Despite asking her followers who they were planning to vote for, Erin Napier didn't make her own political views public. Back in January 2022, Napier responded to the backlash she received after including the American flag emoji in a post. Many assumed she was openly declaring her support for the Republican Party by doing so. The "Home Town" star retweeted the now-deleted post on X, formerly known as Twitter, writing, "If you think loving the USA must be a political affiliation, that says a lot about you and nothing about us. I am so tired of people LOOKING for things to separate us all by. Just stop."
When she polled her fans ahead of the 2024 election, Napier also took a moment to share her thoughts surrounding the tense political climate on her Instagram Stories, telling fans that the scrutiny that comes along with making your political views public simply isn't worth the divisiveness that follows. She explained how everyone has different beliefs based on their life experiences and how we often fail to see something from someone else's point of view because we're so focused on what needs fixing on our own end. "It's like this: we're each making a bed and can't see how far the sheet is hanging on the other side. We can't see what we can't see," she wrote.
She doesn't want her husband to run for office again
A little-known fact about Erin Napier is that her husband, Ben Napier, once ran for office as an Independent candidate. The interior designer fully supported him, even posting a call to vote for her husband on the couple's Laurel Mercantile store's website. "I'm so very proud of him," Napier wrote before sharing a letter her husband had penned to the people of Laurel, Mississippi. He declared that he wanted to restore the town to its former glory and make it a place people can once again be proud to call home — especially younger generations.
When Ben's bid for city council was unsuccessful, Napier was slightly relieved. During an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, the couple spoke candidly about Ben's election loss and how it ended up being for the better — his failed bid led to the couple landing their HGTV show "Home Town." "Through this [the show] we've been able to accomplish so much more. Not just in Laurel, but across America," Ben said. When asked if he'll ever consider throwing his hat in the ring again to become a city council representative, Ben said it was a hard no. "You better never run for office again," Napier interjected, "But I was very proud."
She's called for unity during a tumultuous political climate
As the 2020 elections drew closer, tension among Americans grew, and Erin Napier took to X, formerly Twitter, to address this, calling for unity during a very divisive period. She explained that it was impossible for everyone to agree on everything and that people needed to understand that, just because they didn't see something from the same point of view as someone else, it didn't mean they had to be enemies. "Every person on earth has a unique life experience that causes them to form beliefs and feelings, and it happens over many years. No one else can change that person's history or experiences," Napier wrote. She then called on people not to hate those who have different political views but instead learn to agree to disagree. "Hating people for who they vote for is like hating people for their unchangeable past life experiences ... People with different beliefs can love each other. Can we please try harder?" she urged.
Unfortunately, the divisiveness largely continued in the comment section, with some arguing that those supporting Donald Trump's controversial policies and actions, like separating migrant children from their parents, made it hard to simply agree to disagree. "My own approach: If we respectfully agree to disagree, then ok, but if you actively support hurtful policies to people and environment we're done," one follower chimed in. Others agreed that Napier's suggested approach was the best solution to the widespread division in the country. "Thank you for articulating exactly what I feel. Love is so much stronger than hate," another wrote.
She spoke out about her silence on social media during the Black Lives Matter movement
2020 was a tumultuous year worldwide, but aside from navigating the devastating pandemic, Erin Napier also faced questions about her seeming lack of support for the Black Lives Matter movement during this time. While many HGTV stars on social media were being very vocal about the matter, Napier remained conspicuously quiet, and some fans questioned why she wasn't using her platform to spread awareness. Eventually, the HGTV star took to Instagram to address these questions, explaining that she believed simply posting a ton about the matter instead of actively doing something about it was futile.
The HGTV star shared a DM she received from a fan asking her to be more supportive, as well as her response, to Instagram. "I want you to know my social media quiet is not a difference of opinion, it's just a difference of expression," she wrote. "I think taking a 'bigger' stand lies in the small opportunities we meet every day as we go to the post office or order food in a [restaurant] ... And I believe social media posting under duress from the world is not the answer. It is artificial. It will not heal what's wrong."
Speaking to House Beautiful, Napier and her husband, Ben Napier, shared a bit about why they mostly stayed quiet on social media during this time, and the interior designer reiterated that she wants to get her hands dirty instead of simply posting something on social media, which, in the end, has no long-lasting effect. "It's just noise," she concluded.
She's been candid about the misperceptions people have of her because she comes from a small town
She might not be a fan of discussing her political views, but Erin Napier has been pretty open about the small-town politics of her hometown Laurel, Mississippi, explaining on the "Townsizing" podcast that people tend to have preconceived ideas about how folks from small towns think and behave. Her husband, Ben Napier, spoke candidly about the misconceptions people have when they hear someone is from a small Southern town like Laurel. "I think that the one that hits the hardest for us is that, you know, we are 'racist' or 'prejudiced' or whatever. That is a pandemic that spans the globe," he explained. His wife agreed. "Small-town America has this really rich and flavorful story to tell and we have to work extra hard to combat the stereotypes that people have already placed on small-town America," she added.
The couple has actively tried to change the narrative by becoming more involved in their community and by showing off their town on their HGTV show, "Home Town." One project they tackled that made big waves was partnering with the Salvation Army to help underprivileged kids in Laurel get all they need to return to school. Their efforts were met with excitement and gratitude, with many fans in the comments expressing their thanks to the couple for giving back. "You two have the BIGGEST hearts of anyone I know!" one fan wrote. "You lead by example, and in this world that seems difficult to find." Erin and Ben Napier might not be politicos, but it sure seems like they'll be good at the job if either of them ever decides to brave public office in the future.