Tight governor’s race, shifting Senate dynamics take center stage ahead of midterms | On the Record
Data center development, including concerns over land, water, and power, has become a key issue in Georgia's gubernatorial race. Democratic candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms has advocated for moratoriums on new data centers, criticizing Republican Rick Jackson's investment in an out-of-state facility. The debate over technological regulation and data privacy is shaping up as a primary campaign issue statewide.
In Georgia's upcoming midterm elections, the rapid development of large-scale AI data centers has emerged as a significant campaign issue, alongside traditional concerns like inflation and gas prices. Communities across the state have voiced alarms regarding the substantial land, water, and power infrastructure required by these facilities.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and other state leaders are advocating for moratoriums on new data centers. Bottoms has also criticized her Republican opponent, Rick Jackson, for his investment stake in an out-of-state data center facility.
Beyond data centers, technological regulation broadly, including the deployment of Flock Safety license plate readers by an Atlanta-based company, has drawn scrutiny. Revelations of law enforcement misuse of camera databases have led to municipal oversight measures in Atlanta and reviews in the U.S. Senate. Lawmakers are now considering whether federal data privacy regulations will preempt emerging state and local rules.