Candidates for Ohio governor focus on data centers in last week of campaign
Ohio gubernatorial candidates Amy Acton and Vivek Ramaswamy are using competing campaign ads to highlight their differing positions on data center development. Acton has called for a conditional moratorium, while Ramaswamy supports development with requirements for energy costs, transparency, environmental protections and community benefits.
With Ohio’s gubernatorial election entering its final week, Democrat Amy Acton and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy have launched competing advertisements focused on data centers. Acton’s campaign portrays Ramaswamy as strongly aligned with the industry, while a pro-Ramaswamy political action committee attacks Acton over alleged investments connected to data centers and their impact on electricity costs.
Acton has called for a conditional moratorium requiring data centers to cover their tax and energy costs, use union labor, meet environmental standards and secure community agreements. Ramaswamy says he opposes property-tax breaks and believes projects should provide their own energy, compensate nearby residents for electricity costs, protect water quality and demonstrate a benefit to local communities. Both campaigns have addressed questions about investments tied to the industry, with Ramaswamy saying he would sell relevant holdings if elected.