Surf City USA now on the frontlines of Trump-era politics

Bisecting a wide sandy beach, the Huntington Beach pier beckons tourists and surfers alike, creating a break in the waves that helps gives the city its nickname: Surf City, USA.

It is a scene as laidback as the name would suggest - and a stark contrast to the political hostility spilling out of City Hall just a short drive inland.

Since a conservative majority took over the Huntington Beach City Council a little more than a year ago, it has vigorously pursued an agenda aligned with the Republican Party politics...