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Data center backlash is uniting America

Policy1 min read

Data centers, the huge computer buildings that power AI, have become a major election issue in 2026. Voters across parties are pushing back against them, and tech companies are spending heavily on campaigns.

Data centers are becoming a campaign issue

Many communities are protesting new data centers. People worry about the cost of building them and the power they use. Candidates for Congress and governor are now talking about the issue in their campaigns. Some want a full pause on new building, while others want local towns to make the decisions.

Key facts

  • Leading the Future, a super PAC (a political group that can raise and spend large sums) backed by Marc Andreessen and OpenAI President Greg Brockman, has spent $45 million in one year.
  • Public First Action, a group backed by Anthropic that says it supports AI safeguards, says it has raised $80 million.
  • Tomorrow Together launched $4 million in ads for battleground House races about data centers and AI safety.
  • Texas has the second-highest number of planned data center projects in the country, after Virginia.

The Texas races

In Texas, both parties are trying to look tough on data centers, but they stress different things. Democrat James Talarico wants to end state tax breaks, add closed-loop water systems to limit water use, and tax AI profits. Republican Ken Paxton wants to repeal tax exemptions too, keep Chinese technology out of US data centers, and stop AI data centers from being built in rural areas.

Why this matters

Data centers affect electricity bills, water use, and the land near people's homes. Because so much money is flowing into elections, the outcome may shape how fast AI is built and who pays for it.

What to watch

  • Whether more candidates back a full pause on data center building.
  • How much more money the AI-focused super PACs spend before the elections.
  • Whether Texas repeals its tax exemptions for data centers.
  • How local communities gain more say over where data centers are built.

Glossary

Leading the Future
A super PAC backed by tech investors and an OpenAI leader, which has spent $45 million in one year.
Public First Action
A political group backed by Anthropic, an AI company, that says it supports AI safety rules.

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