The Data Center Backlash Bursts Into the Midterms

With opposition to the centers mounting, many Democrats and a growing number of Republicans are campaigning against them.

As public pushback to data centers boils over, politicians on both sides of the aisle are racing to distance themselves from the controversial facilities.  Key swing state candidates are scrambling to endorse stricter data center policies and accusing their opponents of being too cozy with the industry, as Americans be

Data centers are being opposed by Democrats and Republicans in key 2026 elections. | Sarah Rice/Bloomberg via Getty Images This story appeared in Today, Explained, a daily newsletter that helps you understand the most compelling news and stories of the day. Subscribe here. Do the words “data center” make you want to

The race to build data centers, which power artificial intelligence and cloud computing, has run aground amid frustration from voters who don't want to live near the massive warehouse campuses.

President Donald Trump has voiced strong support for AI and data centers, emphasizing their economic benefits and importance in the global AI race

Trump keeps embracing data centers even as they become toxic in midterm races  AP News

Venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya sees worrying signs for data centers after recent actions in Texas and Pennsylvania. ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty Images Venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya said the AI industry failed to sell itself. Now, he said, data centers have become "THE symbolic representation" in t

A new populist fever is coursing through the midterms, forcing campaigns to retreat and recalibrate as they confront a groundswell of hostility toward AI data centers. Why it matters: Grassroots pressure is breaking the bipartisan consensus that enabled America's AI buildout. Candidates in both parties are now racing t

Controversial data centers are playing a role in the Ohio senate race.

Artificial intelligence and the data centers powering the technology have become a flashpoint ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Shira Ovide, a technology reporter for The Wall Street Journal, has more.