Data Centers Become Political Liability in US Elections
Data centers have become a political liability in US elections, with politicians facing attacks and demands related to their ties to the industry. The public's widespread opposition to data centers is making them a contentious issue for candidates nationwide. Examples include a Pennsylvania state senate race and the Georgia Governor's race.
The article highlights how data centers have unexpectedly become a significant political liability for politicians across the United States. It details a cease-and-desist letter issued in a Pennsylvania state senate race by Republican incumbent Frank Farry, who was labeled a "data senator" in an attack ad attempting to link him to an Amazon data center through a client of his law firm. Farry vehemently denied representing data centers.
This incident is presented as part of a broader trend. In Georgia, during the Governor's race, Democrat Keisha Lance-Bottoms, formerly the mayor of Atlanta, faced scrutiny for a tax break she approved that is now connected to a data center company. She has, in turn, demanded that her opponent, Republican Rick Jackson, divest data center-related holdings.
The piece emphasizes a nationwide sentiment, stating that a significant majority of Americans oppose data centers in their areas, transforming what was once a point of pride (like Virginia being a data center corridor) into a contentious issue in political campaigns. The author concludes that few politicians wish to be associated with data centers due to their public unpopularity.