AI Data Centers Emerge As A Key Election Issue

AI data centers are emerging as a key election issue, which could have potential implications for the 2028 presidential race, according to Axios Senior Politics Reporter @hollyotterbein. In South Carolina, Democrat Annie Andrews, who won by more than four points, campaigned against data center expansion and called for a two-year moratorium on new projects. She criticized her opponent, Republican Darline Graham, for her ties to the industry. In October, a new super PAC aligned with the data center industry spent $1.5 million on advertising supporting Graham. “[Andrews] called Darline Graham 'data center Darline,'” Otterbein told Mo News during midterm election night coverage, adding, “Democrats spent about $4 million on ads about data centers.” In Tuesday's election, anti-data center ballot measures passed in 40 of 41 areas, according to initial tallies. Only one measure to construct new data centers passed in North Dakota. In NBC News exit polls, nearly 90% of voters said AI data centers were at least one factor in their ballot choice – with more than half calling it "crucial" or a "major factor." Otterbein highlighted the significance of the data center vote in South Carolina's election: "It's an extremely powerful state right now. It's always been a powerful state in the Democratic presidential primary for the last several years, but now it's even more powerful because it's going to go number one.” South Carolina will hold the first Democratic presidential primary in 2028, the party announced in August. Sources: @NBCNews @KRCRnews