Data centers emerge as flashpoint in 2026 races as opposition rises
Rising public opposition to data centers is emerging as a political issue ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with residents citing electricity costs, water use and local control. Ohio candidates have proposed conditions or a moratorium on development, while political campaigns in Pennsylvania are attacking one another over data center incentives and community input.
Opposition to data center construction is becoming a prominent issue in 2026 election campaigns as residents across the country raise concerns about water supplies, electricity costs and local control. A University of Pennsylvania survey found that 61% of U.S. adults oppose data center construction in their communities, up 12 percentage points from four months earlier. At a July meeting in Franklin County, Virginia, a resident publicly objected to a proposed facility.
The issue is especially significant in Ohio, where local moratoriums have paused or blocked projects and Gov. Mike DeWine has frozen new data center tax breaks. Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said facilities should be limited to abandoned industrial sites, while Democratic candidate Amy Acton proposed a conditional moratorium and called for stronger protections and company-funded energy generation. In Pennsylvania, campaign advertisements have criticized Gov. Josh Shapiro and Republican candidate Stacy Garrity over data center tax incentives, including credits for Amazon.