Sea Grape Drive may quickly sound much less idyllic if Lauderdale-by-the-Sea city commissioners approve a proposal so as to add a second identify to the highway: “President Donald J. Trump Drive.”
The proposal has generated a livid debate and opened a divide within the oceanfront neighborhood, the place residents and enterprise house owners extol the laid-back ambiance and small-town attraction.
“It’s spreading like wildfire. We’re exhibiting up on individuals’s social media in every single place,” mentioned opponent Cristie Furth, who added that she “didn’t count on this to explode like this.”
That’s not merely hype from one facet. Mayor Edmund Malkoon mentioned he’s needed to put his cellphone on mute in current days as a result of he’s gotten so many calls — “it’s gotten to the purpose you simply can’t reply everybody” — and if he steps away from the pc for 10 minutes he’ll come again to seek out 10 extra emails.
Malkoon has been mayor since March 2024, following six years as a city commissioner. He mentioned it’s essentially the most contentious political situation that’s come up since he’s been in workplace.
To say not everyone seems to be enamored of the thought of including Trump’s identify to Sea Grape Drive, on the intersection of Industrial Boulevard, can be an enormous understatement.
“I used to be shocked. Really, mortified,” Furth mentioned when somebody texted her concerning the plan. “It’s an extremely unhealthy thought.”
“Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is particular,” she mentioned. “We’ve by no means been about politics. It’s at all times been about high quality of life right here.” Furth is each a resident and enterprise proprietor on the town.
As she spreads the phrase, Furth mentioned individuals are “shocked and flabbergasted.” She and others who drive on Sea Grape Drive “don’t need to see Donald Trump hanging over our heads. We’ve got to see his face on our TVs.”
Dominick Casale, a former resident who owns a enterprise within the city, mentioned he’s “100%” in assist of including Trump’s identify to Sea Grape Drive.
“We’re positively a ‘pink’ metropolis. I do know it’s,” Casale mentioned. “To call it Donald Trump (Drive) is an honor to our president. Have a look at what he has completed within the final 9 months.”
Republican city
The city, generally known as LBTS, is without doubt one of the smallest communities in Broward County, with a everlasting inhabitants of about 6,000 that swells to 10,000 through the winter vacationer season.
Nestled on a barrier island between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean, it’s simply 1.5 sq. miles, between Fort Lauderdale to the south and Pompano Seashore to the north. The city is thought for its low-rise buildings that invoke a bygone period to many residents and guests.
Furth describes it as an “oasis.”
Politically, it’s an oasis — for Republicans, in contrast to many of the extra city, and way more Democratic, Broward County as an entire.
The city’s registered voters are 40.7% Republican and 29.3% no celebration affiliation/impartial. Simply 26.3% of the voters within the city are Democrats. (The remaining 3.8% are registered in varied minor events.)
Broward County, in contrast, is 43.9% Democratic and 30% no celebration affiliation/impartial. Countywide, Republicans are 23.6% of the registered voters. One other 2.5% are registered in varied minor events.
Countywide, Trump received 40.1% of the vote in 2024. Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, then the vp, received 57.8%.
It was virtually the precise reverse in Lauderdale-by-the Sea, the place voters favored Trump over Harris, 56.3% to 42.7%.
Vacationer impression
There are broader concerns, mentioned Furth, who has lived in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea for 53 years, and is the proprietor of the 12-room boutique resort, the Blue Seas Courtyard.
She mentioned including Trump’s identify to the highway can be unhealthy for enterprise.
“You don’t need to decide a facet,” she mentioned. “Individuals come right here to get away from all that stuff. They need to depart all of the every day worries behind and benefit from the hospitality in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea.
“It’s going to anger 50% of the individuals coming over the bridge after they see that on the signal. That’s going to show individuals off.”
Casale mentioned he doesn’t purchase the argument that it’ll damage enterprise. “Democrats don’t actually spend cash,” he mentioned, including that guests who spend are extra from pink states.
“Donald Trump (Drive) is simply an added bonus to the town. And, any publicity is nice publicity, whether or not it’s good or unhealthy. I don’t suppose it’s going to divide anyone,” he mentioned. “It will spotlight the realm.”
Casale is the proprietor of Diamonds & Doggies, which sells jewellery, canines and a line of Trump merchandise, together with hats, stickers and bracelets.
Malkoon, the mayor, mentioned any potential detrimental impact from individuals who resolve to not go to the neighborhood may be offset by visits from Trump supporters. “If you happen to’re going to say a boycott may occur, I additionally suppose it may appeal to lots of people.”
In a letter to commissioners, Broward Republican Chair Chris Marino mentioned including Trump’s identify would create “a symbolic landmark that would appeal to guests.”
Anthony Man / South Florida Solar Sentinel
Ken Evans, proven early in 2020, is a former Broward state Democratic committeeman and former longtime resident of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. He’s an outspoken opponent of a proposal so as to add President Donald Trump’s identify to Sea Grape Drive within the city. (Anthony Man/South Florida Solar Sentinel)
Genesis
The proposed addition of Trump’s identify is sponsored by Richard DeNapoli, who was elected to the Lauderdale-by-the-Sea fee in March 2024. City commissioners are formally nonpartisan.
DeNapoli can also be Broward’s elected state Republican committeeman, a former chair of the county Republican Celebration, and was an early supporter of Trump’s first presidential marketing campaign, at a time when many Florida celebration leaders had been supporting different candidates for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.
DeNapoli mentioned by way of textual content Trump is worthy of the popularity.
“The President hails from Florida and has a variety of supporters in City, given his very giant victories right here on the poll each time he’s run; there’s a native nexus in that the native celebration headquarters has been in City, on the nook the place the signal is requested, for a few years; there’s a lengthy historical past in South Florida of recognizing dwelling, incumbent, and former Presidents,” DeNapoli mentioned.
The thought emanated from Marino, who advised commissioners that supporting the naming proposal would “present that each voice issues, and to rejoice our neighborhood collectively.”
Marino lamented that “there’s sadly some opposition to this decision to acknowledge our solely President from Florida with a single avenue lamppost co-designation in an space and state that strongly supported him in three elections.”
The celebration chair mentioned the situation of the county Republican Celebration’s headquarters on the intersection of Industrial Boulevard is a “instantly native cause” for including Trump’s identify. “We aren’t only a political group — we’re a part of the material of this neighborhood. Our members are your neighbors, small enterprise house owners, dad and mom, and retirees. We volunteer, we worship, we assist our native faculties and charities.”
Marino and DeNapoli mentioned all however a handful of presidents have streets named after them in Broward. (That’s largely due to Hollywood, with 27 presidential avenue names from George Washington to Calvin Coolidge.)
Early in former President Barack Obama’s first time period, they mentioned a avenue in West Park was co-designated “Barack Obama Boulevard,” and Republicans didn’t object. Streets are named after Trump in Hialeah and West Palm Seashore.
The Florida Legislature and Palm Seashore County Fee, together with Democrats, permitted including Trump’s identify to a portion of Southern Boulevard in West Palm Seashore.
The president usually travels on Southern Boulevard from his Mar-a-Lago residence and membership to Palm Seashore Worldwide Airport and the Trump Worldwide Golf Membership.
Ken Evans is a former Democratic state state committeeman from Broward who lived in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea for nearly 30 years, and nonetheless is concerned in enterprise there. He not too long ago moved.
Evans mentioned he’s been listening to from former neighbors who don’t like the thought of including Trump’s identify, and mentioned he additionally thinks it’s a foul thought.
“It’s not due to Trump, not that I don’t need to see it there. It’s a really nonpartisan neighborhood. This may divide the neighborhood,” he mentioned.
Heavy turnout
Furth and Casale each plan to attend the City Fee assembly, the place the difficulty is about to come back up Wednesday night.
“I feel it’s going to be a giant crowd,” she mentioned.
The mayor expects so too. Malkoon mentioned he needs to permit as many individuals as potential to speak, and expects a protracted assembly. He mentioned he needs everybody to behave civilly.
The mayor additionally mentioned there can be a larger-than-usual contingent of Broward Sheriff’s Workplace deputies to verify there aren’t issues.
There are 5 commissioners, and the proposal requires three votes to go.
The City Fee assembly that features the road naming situation is scheduled to start out at 6:30 p.m. at Jarvis Corridor, 4505 N. Ocean Drive, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea.
Political author Anthony Man might be reached at aman@sunsentinel.com and might be discovered @browardpolitics on Bluesky, Threads, Fb and Mastodon.