What do Nevada's congressional candidates think about data centers?

Nevada's congressional candidates are actively debating the federal government's role in data center development, a discussion sparked by public outrage over a federal approval for a data center on federal land near Boulder City. The incident prompted letters from members of Congress and challenges from city officials, highlighting the unique challenges in a state where over 80 percent of land is federally owned.

The Nevada Independent surveyed eight major party candidates, revealing varied stances but also areas of agreement. Democrats, including Rep. Steven Horsford, Rep. Dina Titus, and Rep. Susie Lee, generally favor federal changes to laws governing energy and water use, with Horsford advocating for national standards on disclosure and infrastructure. Republicans, such as David Flippo and State Sen. Carrie Buck, prioritize national security, arguing federal regulation should ensure U.S. competitiveness with China in the AI infrastructure industry. Most candidates, however, opposed a blanket federal moratorium on data center development, with the exception of Rep. Horsford, who remained open to the idea.

Across the political spectrum, candidates emphasized that data center development should not inflate Nevadans' utility costs and that any use of federal land for data centers must include significant local community buy-in and a thorough environmental permitting process. UNLV political science professor David Damore noted the populist nature of the issue and how candidates often defer specific project approvals to local governments. The discussion underscores how data center policy has become a significant factor in federal races in Nevada, sometimes transcending traditional party lines.