Eddie Eastman, originally from Terra Nova, has lived in the United States for the last 30 years. He voted in a presidential election for the first time on Tuesday, and cast his vote for Donald Trump. (CBC)
Two dual-citizen Americans with ties to Newfoundland and Labrador say they want to see how the United States moves forward under a second-term by President-elect Donald Trump.
Eddie Eastman, born and raised in Terra Nova, N.L., but now living in the U.S., recently became a dual citizen and voted in a presidential election for the first time on Tuesday, casting his vote for Trump.
He told CBC News he favoured Trump over Democrat Kamala Harris, and preferred his policies on the economy, immigration and what he called other “common sense” ideas Trump brings to the table.
“I couldn’t vote for [Harris] … I just don’t agree with her policies. And basically she just got dropped in into the race without any vetting or anything,” Eastman told CBC News from Mount Juliet, Tenn.
“My wife and I had to go through hell and back to immigrate to the United States. We had to have a certain amount of money before we came in, all this stuff. Now, they’re just walking in. It makes no sense whatsoever.”
Trump was projected president-elect in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Though he wasn’t awake to watch it, Eastman said Trump winning the state of Pennsylvania served as the tipping point in the race.
He and his wife were happy to vote for the first time, saying he’s looking forward to seeing regulatory pressures taken off small businesses and oil drilling, and making sure those who enter the United States do so legally.
“I felt great. Felt uplifted. I had so many texts come in from other people in Canada, and they were all excited,” he said. “I’m sure that people are not excited, too, but you know, for the most part I think it’s going to work out really well.”
WATCH | Dual citizens with ties to N.L. have their say in the presidential election:
In St. John’s, Janet Stinson Howells watched election coverage with sadness and dismay.
“I just felt really demoralized, really. And I just thought ‘God, how could that happen?’ I really had a lot of hope. I think a lot of people did, that there’d be a difference and that [Harris] would be the president,” she said.
A dual citizen due to her father being a U.S. Marine, Stinson Howells filed her absentee vote for Harris in North Carolina — the last place in America her family lived. Trump won that state after President Joe Biden won there in 2020.
She voted for Harris because of her policies that would protect women’s rights, and sees the Democratic candidate as an inspiration.
Donald Trump will become the 47th President of the United States. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)
“Her message of hope and joy was one that I think so many of us really hung on to, and really thought would precipitate a lot of change.” Stinson Howells said.
Stinson Howells’ father, who also lives in St. John’s, also cast his first ever vote for Trump.
“He felt that he had a successful four years … and I think my dad felt like he needed to keep that going.”
Stinson Howells said she hopes a second Trump presidency won’t greatly impact Canada’s relationship with the United States, and that some of the rhetoric Trump and his supporters use won’t bleed into Canada ahead of the next federal election.
Local leaders voice concern over U.S. tariffs
Newfoundland and Labrador’s political leaders also voiced their thoughts on the election, with both Premier Andrew Furey and PC Leader Tony Wakeham raising concerns about the trade relationship between Canada and the U.S.
“I do have some concerns with some of his proposals during his campaign, including liberal and fairly aggressive use of the word tariff,” Furey said. “We export many of our commodities to the United States, so I have some concerns.”
NDP Leader Jim Dinn said he believes as a democrat that society should be inclusive to everyone amid harmful rhetoric being shared.
He also said the province will need to rely on Ottawa to build a strong relationship with the new Trump administration.
“Canada is going to have to work with whomever is president down there…. If Kamala Harris had been elected, the path forward would have been a lot more stable and predictable. It just means with President Trump, it’s going to be a little bit more uncertain,” Dinn said.
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