Data centers could swing the Senate
The video examines growing political backlash against data centers in Ohio and Texas, where voters worry the facilities will increase electricity and water bills. Ohio Senate candidates Sherrod Brown and Jon Husted are debating the industry’s tax breaks, infrastructure costs and economic benefits as data center sentiment becomes an election issue.
Data centers are emerging as a campaign issue in Ohio, where four in five adults surveyed expect them to increase electricity and water bills. Democratic Senate candidate Sherrod Brown has criticized Republican Sen. Jon Husted over the growth of large, power-intensive facilities, while Husted’s campaign points to the tax revenue they provide to schools. Husted has also called for ending data center tax breaks and requiring facilities to pay for their power.
The video says opposition is also significant among Texas Republicans, although national voters generally do not rank data centers among their top concerns. Political analysts and local Republican activists suggest that even a modest shift among voters opposed to data centers could affect closely contested Senate races and potentially influence control of the chamber.