45% of Florida voters oppose data centers

A poll released in October found that 45 percent of likely voters in Florida oppose data centers statewide. The figure rises to 59 percent when respondents are asked about projects in their own communities. This local opposition has turned data center development into a central issue for candidates in multiple congressional and gubernatorial contests this year.

The construction of large server facilities has triggered backlash in communities across the country. Voters are reacting to the costs of infrastructure and the physical presence of the buildings. This sentiment is shaping how candidates discuss energy policy and state incentives. The issue spans the political spectrum, with Democrats and Republicans adopting different approaches to address voter concerns.

Money is flowing into these campaigns from the technology sector. Leading the Future, a super PAC backed by venture capitalist Marc Andreessen and OpenAI President Greg Brockman, spent $45 million over the past year. Public First Action, a group supported by Anthropic, reports raising $80 million. Both organizations funded groups aligned with both Democrats and Republicans. A third group, Tomorrow Together, launched $4 million in advertisements for battleground House races that focus on data center development and AI safety.

Candidates vary in their proposed solutions. Some support a complete moratorium on new projects. Others prefer to give local governments more control or add specific regulatory guardrails. Democrats are more likely to favor a pause, though some Republicans agree that a temporary stop is necessary. The debate often centers on who pays for the energy infrastructure and how water usage is managed.

In Texas, the issue affects several high-profile races. The state has the second-most planned data center projects after Virginia. Democrat James Talarico, running for Senate, has proposed ending state sales tax incentives and requiring closed-loop water systems. His Republican opponent, Ken Paxton, wants to keep Chinese technology out of US data centers and repeal sales tax exemptions. In the governor's race, Democrat Gina Hinojosa has called for a statewide moratorium. She accused incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of changing his position after he celebrated a $40 billion Google investment and later announced an audit in August.

Florida candidates have also taken distinct stances. Democrat David Jolly pledged a one-year ban on hyperscale data centers on his first day in office. Republican Byron Donalds, who previously said Florida was wide open for construction, now supports policies protecting ratepayers. He introduced the Protecting Ratepayers Act in July. Opponents have called him Data Center Donalds. Despite the high opposition rates, Donalds leads Jolly 48 percent to 41 percent in the NBC6/Telemundo poll.

In Pennsylvania, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and Republican challenger Stacy Garrity have accused each other of shifting positions. Shapiro signed an order in August barring nondisclosure agreements for developers after touting a $20 billion Amazon investment the previous year. Garrity now supports a pause of no more than three years after earlier calling rural areas perfect for data centers. A Quinnipiac poll found 64 percent of likely voters believe AI data centers would do more harm than good. Shapiro leads Garrity 59 percent to 34 percent.

In Ohio, a leaked memo from the National Republican Senatorial Committee described data centers as the anchor hanging around Sen. Jon Husted's neck. Democrat Sherrod Brown has labeled Husted the face of data centers. Husted favors local control, and his Ratepayer Protection Act passed the House but failed in the Senate. The memo warned that if Husted loses, politicians across the country will take notice.

In Michigan, both candidates in the open Senate seat support a moratorium. Republican Mike Rogers backs a one-year pause, while Democrat Abdul El-Sayed wants no new data centers until federal protections are in place. Cook Political Report rates the race a dead heat. In Wisconsin, neither gubernatorial nominee has called for a moratorium, though both have backed away from earlier support. Nevada Democrats have branded Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo data center Joe.

Cook Political Report rates the Texas governor's race as leaning Republican and the Texas Senate race as a toss-up. The Michigan Senate race is rated a dead heat. These ratings reflect the intensity of the data center debate in these specific contests as the election approaches.