Republicans racing to name roads after Trump keep crashing and burning
I know. I'm surprised, too.
State Sen. Wendy Rogers, R-Flagstaff, proposed transforming State Route 260 into the Donald J. Trump Highway, noting that it's the patriotic thing to do.
He has, after all, been president for an entire six weeks now.
'All across the nation people have really endorsed this concept, and why?' Rogers told the Senate Public Safety Committee a few weeks ago. 'It's because WE THE PEOPLE should be able to name our roads and our byways, and WE THE PEOPLE need to be represented and to be proud of our United States president.'
Alas, WE THE PEOPLE must be crushed because the legislation stalled Thursday on a 15-9 vote of the Republican-run Senate, one shy of passing.
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The proposal could make a comeback, however, as state Sen. Shawnna Bolick, R-Phoenix, was absent from Thursday's vote.
Arizona is not the only red state looking to up its bootlicking game.
In Missouri, Republicans also are working on a bill to name a state highway for Trump, and in Oklahoma, there is talk of declaring Nov. 5 (the day he was elected) a state holiday – President Donald J. Trump Day.
I am not making this up.
In Arizona, Senate Concurrent Memorial 1001 offers 15 whereases to justify the Donald J. Trump Highway. Among other things, it notes that he won the popular vote, unleashed the Department of Government Efficiency on federal workers and 'built over 400 miles of the world's most robust and advanced border wall' during his first term.
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Should the legislation be revived, it ultimately would be up to the Arizona State Board on Geographic and Historic Names to decide whether Trump rates the 217.8-mile scenic strip of pavement that runs from Cottonwood to Eager.
Me? I'd suggest honoring him with a different route.
One filled with harrowing switchbacks and plenty of potholes.
Laurie Roberts is a columnist at the Arizona Republic, where this column originally appeared. Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com or follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @LaurieRobertsaz, on Threads at @LaurieRobertsaz and on BlueSky at @laurieroberts.bsky.social
You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: GOP bid to rename highway for Trump spins out. Good | Opinion
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