David Jolly Calls for Statewide Halt on New Data Center Construction
Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly has called for a statewide halt on new data center construction in Florida if elected. He argues that development should be paused until the state adopts stronger environmental, economic, and privacy safeguards. Jolly also criticized his Republican opponent, Byron Donalds, for his pro-data center stance, alleging significant campaign contributions from the data center industry.
Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly announced a proposal to enact a statewide moratorium on new data center construction should he be elected. Jolly stated that Florida needs to pause development until it can implement stronger environmental, economic, and privacy safeguards. He specifically advocated for halting AI data centers to protect Florida's water, workforce, and way of life, citing current laws as insufficient in these areas.
Jolly's announcement also included criticism of Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds, accusing him of favoring industry interests. Jolly's campaign highlighted that Donalds' political efforts have received nearly $5 million in support from data center industry interests. Donalds has previously expressed support for data center development in Florida, referencing the state's available land.