Democrats tied to 2028 pivot toward data center regulation as Trump pushes for progress
Several Democrats, including Sen. Mark Kelly (AZ), Gov. Josh Shapiro (PA), and Gov. Wes Moore (MD), are shifting positions towards regulating artificial intelligence and data centers, in contrast to their earlier pro-investment stances. This pivot is seen as a response to strong voter pushback and follows President Donald Trump's push for data center development. Pennsylvania's Governor Shapiro has already signed an executive order imposing restrictions, while Maryland's Governor Moore is open to signing a statewide moratorium.
Several prominent Democrats, identified as potential 2028 presidential candidates, are shifting their stance towards regulating artificial intelligence and data center development, a departure from their previous pro-investment positions. This pivot is occurring amidst strong voter pushback against new data center projects and in response to former President Donald Trump's calls for increased data center development across the country.
In Pennsylvania, Governor Josh Shapiro, who previously promoted the state as a tech investment destination, has now signed an executive order imposing strict requirements and restrictions on data centers. Similarly, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who once actively sought to attract data centers, has indicated he would sign a statewide data center moratorium if passed by the legislature.
Meanwhile, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly plans to introduce federal legislation to create a fund, financed by AI companies, to support workers displaced by artificial intelligence. This aligns with a broader trend noted by political analyst John Dedie, who suggests candidates are responding to public sentiment, with even some Republican candidates like Wisconsin gubernatorial hopeful Tom Tiffany advocating for data center restrictions.