Drazan and Kotek Lob Data Center Attacks at Each Other
Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek and state Sen. Christine Drazan are using data centers as a political attack point in the Oregon gubernatorial race, focusing on tax breaks and local moratoriums. This comes amid widespread public opposition to data centers due to concerns over environmental impact, utility bills, and quality of life. Both candidates have records that critics are using to tie them to the issue.
In the Oregon governor's race, Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek and Republican challenger state Sen. Christine Drazan are engaging in political attacks over data center development. Drazan's campaign released an online ad accusing Kotek of providing over a billion dollars in tax breaks to data centers while raising taxes on Oregonians. The Democratic Party of Oregon responded by criticizing Drazan's past record, nicknaming her "Data Center Drazan" for allegedly failing to oppose data centers.
Public opinion in Oregon shows significant opposition to data centers, with voters concerned about natural resource strain, rising utility bills, and noise/light pollution. Both candidates have complex records on the issue. Kotek, in her first term, signed the Power Act to shift costs to high-energy users and formed a data center work group for policy recommendations. She also terminated a land sale near Salem for a major data center project following public outcry and supports local moratoriums. Drazan, while campaigning against Kotek's tax breaks, voted against the Power Act and rejects "arbitrary" local moratoriums, though she states communities shouldn't be subjected to unwanted data centers.
Political analysts note the difficulty for both parties, as Republicans typically favor tax breaks for development while Democrats often align with trade unions supportive of construction projects. Pollster John Horvick suggests Drazan's strategy links data center opposition to voters' primary concern of affordability, despite data centers not being the top issue. Campaign finance records indicate Drazan is investing heavily in ad buys and market analysis, suggesting a targeted approach based on recent polling.