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South Dakota Democrats announce town hall meetings as frustration grows, even among some Republicans

Nikki Gronli, former state rural development director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture during the Biden administration, participates in a press conference at the downtown Sioux Falls library on April 7, 2025. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight) SIOUX FALLS — A lack of in-person town hall meetings by South Dakota's members of Congress has Democrats upset, and also some Republicans. The South Dakota Democratic Party announced on Monday that it will conduct public town halls in four South Dakota cities 'in the absence of South Dakota's Republican senators and congressman.' Afterward, state Republican Party Chairman Jim Eschenbaum told South Dakota Searchlight by phone that he's also heard complaints about the congressional delegation's accessibility. 'Even some Republicans have been saying that,' Eschenbaum said. For more about the impact of federal firings, funding freezes, spending cuts and grant cancellations, see Searchlight's DOGE in SD page. Democrats held a press conference to announce their town halls, which will be led by Nikki Gronli, former state rural development director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture during the Biden administration. Julian Beaudion, a Sioux Falls businessman and former state trooper turned community activist, will also participate in the town halls. The press conference came two days after thousands of people took to the streets in Sioux Falls, and lesser crowds also gathered in Pierre and Rapid City, to join in national protests against the Trump administration. Democrats at the Monday press conference alleged that the congressional delegation has been 'silent' and ignored calls and emails from constituents who are upset about the Trump administration's mass firings of federal employees, dismantling of federal departments and programs, and freezes or cancellations of federal grants and spending. 'A chainsaw has been taken to the pocketbooks and retirement plans of hardworking South Dakotans, all while safety net programs are being dismantled,' Gronli said. Beaudion added, 'We are about putting the people first.' The announcement follows public criticisms of U.S. Senators John Thune and Mike Rounds, along with Rep. Dusty Johnson, who are all Republicans, for not holding in-person town halls. None of the three offices responded immediately Monday to South Dakota Searchlight's request for a response to those criticisms. Last month, media outlets including Politico reported that U.S. House Republican leaders advised their members to avoid in-person town hall meetings due to increasing confrontations with constituents over policies carried out by President Donald Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency, led by billionaire Elon Musk. The reports said House Speaker Mike Johnson and National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Richard Hudson recommended shifting to virtual formats like tele-town halls to mitigate disruptions from protesters. The South Dakota Democratic Party on Monday released the following schedule of public town hall meetings: Rapid City Monday, April 14 7-8 p.m. Mountain Dahl Arts Center Sioux Falls Tuesday, April 15 7-8 p.m. Central Hamre Hall at Augustana University Vermillion Thursday, April 24 7-8 p.m. Central Farber Hall at the University of South Dakota Aberdeen Monday, April 28 6:30-7:30 p.m. Central Aberdeen Public Library