Michigan gubernatorial candidates debate trade wars, data centers, health care, and more
Michigan gubernatorial candidates Jocelyn Benson and John James debated whether the state should impose a moratorium on new data centers while lawmakers develop stronger policy protections. Benson supports a statewide pause, while James favors local control and allowing communities to decide whether to approve or block projects. The candidates also clashed over data centers’ energy and environmental impacts and their alleged connections to a major AI facility in Saline Township.
Michigan gubernatorial candidates Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic secretary of state, and U.S. Rep. John James, a Republican, debated data center policy during a WOOD-TV forum in Grand Rapids. Benson backed a statewide moratorium while lawmakers consider protections addressing environmental impacts and high electricity demand. James, who previously supported a moratorium, said decisions should instead be left to local communities, describing his position as a pause on state involvement rather than on local approvals.
The candidates also accused each other of having financial or family ties to the data center industry. James cited Benson’s husband’s work for Related Companies, which helped bring a large artificial intelligence data center to Saline Township, while Benson said her husband now works only on affordable housing projects in other states and that her family has not profited from data centers. The broader debate included competing views on energy policy, with Benson supporting clean-energy investment and James advocating an all-of-the-above approach.