Pro-Trump Ocean City Banner Ads Draw Hundreds of Complaints

OCEAN CITY, MD — Folks strolling the Ocean City boardwalk or splashing on the beach are used to seeing airplanes overhead towing banners.

The planes advertise everything from special events to local businesses trying to lure tourists in the door.

Evidently, a political ad promoting GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s views — and attacking presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton — struck a sour note with crowds on Monday.

DelMarvaNow reports the flying banners by Ocean Aerial Ads read "Stop Mad Cow Disease ... Stop Hillary" and "America First. Build That Wall."

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Hundreds of residents and visitors complained to city leaders and the business owner about the tone of the banner adds.

Owner Bob Bunting said he has no political point to make by flying the banners; it was purely a business transaction.

"People pay us to put ads out, it's as simple as that," Bunting told the newspaper. "If someone called supporting Hillary, we'd put the ad in."

But because of the torrent of complaints, Bunting says he won’t take ads from any political party going forward, saying it’s not worth the aggravation.

Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan said at Monday’s council meeting that officials had received hundreds of emails about Trump banner ads.

Town of Ocean City Communications Manager Jessica Waters said the aerial banners are a tradition at the oceanfront resort community. But with the constant presence of political coverage, beach-goers want to escape from the heated political debate for a short time.

“The banner planes are unique to Ocean City and something most, if not all, of our visitors look forward to seeing during their stay,” she told the Ocean City Dispatch. “They are fun, welcoming and a great way to inform guests of our local businesses. I don’t believe Mr. Bunting expected that the political banners would be upsetting to some, and it is my understanding that once he realized it was causing concern, he made the decision to stop flying them.”

GOP Convention Updates

Meanwhile, Trump was officially named the Republican Party’s presidential nominee in Tuesday’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

Pennsylvania deferred and let New York go out of order, allowing Donald Trump Jr. as a New York delegate to cast the state's votes for his dad. That put the elder Trump over the top to seal the bid.

"Congratulations, Dad. We love you," Trump Jr. said from the floor as the nomination was secured. He was surrounded by other Trump siblings and Trump business associates.

New York, home to Clinton, where she served as a U.S. senator, is expected to break for the Democrats in the fall election, but Trump Jr. promised his dad would put New York into play.

On Tuesday night, Trump Jr., who works in the Trump Organization, spoke in prime time to convention delegates.

Wednesday night, GOP vice presidential nominee Indiana Gov. Mike Pence will speak to the delegates, along with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Follow the Patch blog from the Cleveland convention.

»Photo of Ocean City, MD, beach courtesy of city website