How did data center skepticism impact elections in southeastern Wyoming?
Recent primary election results in southeastern Wyoming, particularly around Cheyenne, suggest that anti-data center stances were not a winning strategy for candidates. Several candidates who advocated for moratoriums or tighter regulations on data center development failed to advance to the general election. This outcome indicates a preference among voters for more moderate approaches or continued economic development in the region.
Primary election results in southeastern Wyoming indicate that candidates campaigning on anti-data center platforms largely failed to advance to the general election. WyoFile's analysis shows that none of the top vote-getters for Cheyenne city council seats were expressly against data center development, and candidates like Travis French and J.C. Manalo, who favored a moratorium, did not secure enough votes.
Similarly, in the race for the Laramie County Board of Commissioners, incumbents Troy Thompson and Gunnar Malm, along with challenger Jess Ketcham, advanced, none of whom were considered anti-data center. Republican State Representatives from Cheyenne who favored tighter data center regulations also lost their primary bids. Statewide, gubernatorial candidates advocating for moratoriums, Brent Bein and Reid Rasner, lost, though Secretary of State Chuck Gray, who opposed AI and data centers, won his bid for Wyoming's U.S. House seat.
Cheyenne Councilman Larry Wolfe noted that while election outcomes are nuanced, opposing data centers did not prove to be a productive campaign view. Betsey Hale, CEO of Cheyenne LEADS, suggested that the results reflect a broader pro-economic development sentiment, with voters also approving tax initiatives for local infrastructure. Jacob Hochard of the University of Wyoming highlighted that voter sentiment might be less about political ideology and more about ensuring tangible community protections and benefits from data center investments, emphasizing that local officials have significant negotiating power due to Wyoming's attractiveness for such projects.