‘Now I don’t know’: Nearly 70% of South Dakota voters in this area cast a ballot for Trump — now, some share frustrations as they brace for the impact of tariffs on their local economy

“Now, I don’t know what would have been better,” Jaime Baysinger, a local waitress, told CNN, admitting that she now doubts her choice after the president’s first 100 days in office. “I was expecting a lower cost of your everyday living things.”

Some didn’t vote for Trump, and that small minority of South Dakotans were hesitant to share their opinions with CNN reporter Elle Reeve. Those interviewed expressed anxiety, fear and concern about how Trump’s actions could hurt the Alpena, South Dakota community.

Candor with a hint of caution

Farmers, residents and entrepreneurs now find themselves at a crossroads. They’re proud of their political stripes, but grow increasingly worried about how trade tensions will affect their bottom line.

Further to Baysinger’s comments, she said she was hopeful that the cost of living would not continue to increase.

“Groceries are already outrageous, and then we put the tariffs on across the seas or whatever, like China,” she said. “It just makes everything more expensive for everybody.”

Baysinger is not alone. Becky Hofer, a freight broker who votes Democrat, watched her neighbors vote for policies that will impact the community.

“The biggest thing that frustrates me is that I just feel like nobody cares right now until it affects them,” she told Reeve. “And I don’t understand how they don’t see that.”

To offset her frustration, some farmers showed patience and a laissez-faire approach.

“I think we need to let the president do what he’s doing,” cattle rancher Rod Olerud admitted. “We need to just see what’s going to happen here and give him a little latitude.”

Those who experienced Trump’s first term, and the tariffs on China in 2018, were skeptical, however. Tommy Baruth, a since-retired soybean farmer, felt the pinch firsthand.

“The export market just went right down the tubes because these countries could buy them from other places cheaper, and a lot of times those markets don’t come back,” he said, adding he thinks it’s too soon for his neighbors to open up and admit they’re wrong.

As the economic situation continues to evolve, the area will feel the pinch, regardless of whether or not South Dakotans regret who they voted for.