Why Your Neighbors Might Be Fighting a Data Center
More than 6 in 10 Republicans do not want a data center built near their homes, according to Gallup polling reported Sept. 8. MarketWatch called it 'Local Data Center Fights Are Reshaping the Midterms—Here's How.'
Many Democrats and a growing number of Republicans are running midterm campaigns against data centers, according to The New York Times. That fight now includes paid campaign ads.
Ads from both parties in states from Georgia to Iowa oppose data centers, according to WABE. Wisconsin Democrat Francesca Hong, who is running for governor, called for a pause on new data centers, according to NPR. Republicans in Texas, Michigan and Florida are changing their stance amid voter opposition, according to TIME
Backlash to AI data centers is splitting rural Republicans in Texas, according to PBS. President Donald Trump still supports data centers, according to that same report.
President Donald J. Trump signed an order in July 2025 to speed up federal approvals for data center projects, according to The White House. The plan covers AI data centers and the big power lines that carry electricity across the country. The White House also announced more than $92 billion in AI and energy spending.
On March 4, 2026, Trump told the biggest U.S. tech and AI companies to supply all the power their data centers need, by building it or buying it, according to The White House. That puts power planning on the companies.
Trump's push for more AI data centers has upset some of his own voters, according to Reuters. People fear data centers will push up their monthly electric bills, according to the same reporting.
SLB, a company that sells equipment and services, expects its deal to bring in more than $2 billion in data center sales in 2026, counting the deal as if it were already complete, according to MarketWatch
The broader context here is easy to picture. Think of it like a highway. Washington can open the fast lane for federal paperwork, but local counties still control the exits. Washington cannot decide local land rules or what families pay for electricity.
In my view, savers should watch two money questions. Who pays for the extra power, and where will building actually be allowed. If big tech firms must supply their own power, building costs more upfront. If voters think families will pay through higher bills, pauses and attack ads will keep spreading. The $2 billion SLB number shows what sellers could gain if building goes ahead. The Gallup poll and the ads from Georgia to Iowa show the risk if it slows down.
