Gas, Medicaid, Iran: Checking claims from SC's Senate debate
South Carolina Senate candidate Annie Andrews criticized data center development during a debate and proposed a two-year statewide moratorium. She highlighted a data center under construction in Spartanburg by Valara Holdings, a NorthMark Strategies subsidiary, while incumbent Sen. Lindsey Graham opposed a moratorium and warned it could hinder U.S. competition in artificial intelligence.
During a South Carolina U.S. Senate debate, Democratic candidate Annie Andrews used opposition to data center development as part of her campaign message. In a video recorded in Spartanburg, she criticized a facility under construction by Valara Holdings, a subsidiary of NorthMark Strategies, and accused incumbent Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of supporting tax breaks for and accepting donations from technology companies.
Andrews proposed a two-year moratorium on data center development in the state. Graham rejected the idea, arguing that broadly halting construction could put the United States at a disadvantage against China in artificial intelligence. The article also notes broader concerns about data centers' effects on noise, air quality, water use and energy consumption, while citing analysts who favor targeted regulations instead of sweeping moratoriums.