Justin Pearson Builds Congressional Campaign Around Opposition to Tennessee Data Centers
Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson is using opposition to data centers as a central issue in his campaign for Congress in the newly redrawn District 9. Residents across the district are concerned about pollution, water resources, noise, and the cost of infrastructure, including the existing Colossus 1 facility near Memphis and a planned data center in Lawrence County.
State Rep. Justin Pearson is campaigning for Congress in Tennessee’s newly redrawn 9th District by emphasizing opposition to data centers alongside gun safety and affordability. The district spans 15 counties, including urban Memphis and rural communities such as Lawrence County, where residents are concerned about the environmental effects of proposed facilities and their impact on local water, air, and noise levels.
Pearson lives near Colossus 1, a data center built by Elon Musk’s SpaceXAI in the Memphis area, and has criticized the project and other industrial developments. His Republican opponent, state Sen. Brent Taylor, supported Colossus 1 and backed legislation preventing municipalities and utilities from paying for new electrical infrastructure serving data centers; critics say the law could allow unregulated gas-fired power plants.
Residents such as Lawrence County animal-rescue operator Cherie Marceaux fear a planned data center near her home could affect a creek, well water, wildlife, and a swimming area used by her grandchildren. The article presents data center opposition as an issue that is bringing voters from communities with differing racial and political demographics into Pearson’s campaign coalition.