David Dillie wins House District 161 election amid anger over data center
Democrat David Dillie defeated Republican incumbent Bill Hitchens in Georgia House District 161, a victory linked in part to voter anger over Effingham County’s approval of a planned $20 billion OpenAI hyperscale data center. The facility is expected to be built near several residential communities in the rapidly developing coastal Georgia area.
Democrat David Dillie defeated incumbent Republican state Rep. Bill Hitchens by 51.8% to 48.2% in Georgia House District 161, flipping the seat for the first time in 14 years. The district includes parts of Chatham and Effingham counties and areas near Pooler and Savannah.
Dillie’s campaign benefited from voter frustration over prices and opposition to a deal announced by the Effingham County Development Authority with OpenAI for a $20 billion hyperscale data center near multiple residential communities. The result reduces the Republican majority in the Georgia House and will require House Speaker Jon Burns to manage a narrower majority when lawmakers return in 2027.