Data center boom puts GOP in a bind before midterm elections

Voters who barely mentioned data centers a year ago now treat them as a defining midterm issue, and the building spree is pulling Republican candidates away from President Donald Trump, who champions the facilities as vital to the economy and national security. Trump has brushed off local resistance and told an Ohio crowd that the money at stake means the projects cannot simply be switched off, according to CBS News.

Most of the construction is happening in Republican-leaning states, according to Cleanview Research, which counts three-quarters of projects underway and four-fifths of those being planned there. Analyst Chris Millay of Greenmantle attributes this to open land, looser environmental rules and a tradition of welcoming heavy industry. Residents nearby cite worries about noise, utility bills, property values and water and other resources, and moratorium demands are multiplying. Polls show opposition outpacing support by 30 points, including among most Republicans.

Several GOP candidates are responding. Texas Governor Greg Abbott froze environmental permits and grid hookups for new sites, and Ken Paxton, running for Senate there, wants to repeal a sales tax break for the industry. Ohio's Vivek Ramaswamy promises a first-day executive order halting new approvals, while Democrat Amy Acton seeks a conditional moratorium.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CBS News’s reporting. Read the full story at CBS News →