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Who is Anthony Sabatini? Florida Rep. wants to rename highway after Trump, Internet says it'll be 'a bad omen'

The Democrats are rallying to ensure that 'not even a bench' is named after the 45th president

Donald Trump may just have a highway named after him if Florida State Representative Anthony Sabatini (R-Lake County) has his way. On Tuesday, Sabatini said he would be sponsoring an amendment to rename US Highway 27 as "President Donald J. Trump Highway." This news comes in as Trump prepares to exit the White House while President-elect Joe Biden will take his place as the 46th POTUS. US 27 runs through the northside of Tallahassee and is better known as North Monroe Street, according to WTXL Tallahassee. It continues through the eastern half of the city as Apalachee Parkway once you reach Florida's Capitol building. The announcement puts Sabatini in the spotlight again. Previously, the Republican made headlines as one of the lawmakers quarantining himself after possible exposure to the coronavirus.

This isn't the first time Sabatini has courted controversy. Last year, during the protests surrounding George Floyd's death, Sabatini posted a tweet suggesting that protesters illegally entering businesses will be met with an AR-15, as per the Washington Examiner. The tweet included a picture of a gun which also appeared with Sabatini on his Facebook page. Florida State Rep. Cindy Polo saw this as a way of Sabatini inciting violence in her complaint to the Florida house. This was followed by another tweet from his official account that read "Kyle Rittenhouse for Congress", referencing the Illinois teen who came under the scanner for shooting and killing two BLM protesters during the Kenosha protests.

Recently, The Orlando Weekly said Sabatini was falsely stating facts regarding the COVID-19 outbreak in Florida. "Like Georgia and South Carolina, Florida has passed the peak of COVID's damage," Sabatini was quoted as saying. "Like Georgia and South Carolina, we are on the downward trajectory of the fight against COVID. And it is time to respond to these facts appropriately," Sabatini said inaccurately.

Twitter in the meantime shared their opinion on Sabatini's idea. "So you want to name a road in a state that's not just a national but a global tourist destination after a President who is loathed by a lot of sane people not just nationally but around the world. Gee, whatever could go wrong?" read one of the tweets.

The criticism trickled in thick and fast. "There just went any vacation I would plan to visit my mom. She’ll have to come visit me. Naming any road after an incompetent racist is a bad omen," one commented.

Some felt Sabatini has to look again at his priorities: "THIS is on the top of your priority list, in the middle of a raging pandemic? Also, what are the best alternative routes to bypass that road if it gets renamed? Asking for a friend." "If this isn't satire, I'm embarrassed for you. Want to name something after Trump?? How about his pandemic? Or his insurrection? Or the condition we're all suffering from after being perpetually outraged, horrified and disgusted for 4 straight years?" read a comment. "I live on 27 and strongly object to this. The man is responsible for more American loss of life than the entirety of WWII. And he accomplished that failure in less than 12 months. Although there is a county jail on 27 where he is welcome to spend time," wrote one of the people in response to Sabatini's tweet.

However, Sabatini's plans to rename the highway can be a bumpy ride in the wake of the January 6 Capitol riots. Following the attack, Democratic Reps, Joaquin Castro from Texas and Linda T. Sánchez  from california, are mulling legislation banning federal property from ever being named in Trump’s honor. Sanchez told People magazine that “not even a bench” should “ever bear the name of this traitor.” “Donald Trump should never become a future generation’s confederate symbol,” Castro tweeted.