Key facts
- Democratic voters in swing states are increasingly opposing the development of large, energy-intensive datacenters.
- Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Governor Tony Evers of Wisconsin have publicly supported datacenter projects.
- New York has implemented a one-year moratorium on new datacenter construction.
- Polls indicate a significant majority of Democrats oppose datacenters in their local communities.
- Local opposition in Wisconsin led Microsoft to cancel one datacenter project.
- Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed advocates for public ownership of datacenters.
Democratic leaders in Midwestern swing states are facing significant voter backlash over their support for large, energy-intensive datacenters, potentially jeopardizing their midterm election hopes. In Michigan, Governor Gretchen Whitmer's appearance with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to celebrate a controversial $16 billion datacenter development has angered many long-time Democratic voters, including Sarah Brabbs, who expressed feelings of rage and sadness.
Michigan congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has also criticized the governor's stance. This issue is proving divisive, as a national poll shows Democratic voters are significantly more opposed to datacenters in their communities than Republicans. New York has become the first state to enact a one-year moratorium on new datacenter construction.
In Wisconsin, Governor Tony Evers' positive remarks about Microsoft's datacenter complex in Racine County have also met with local fury. Kelly Gallaher, chair of the Racine County Democratic Party, noted a shift in sentiment, with candidates increasingly calling for moratoriums. Microsoft did cancel one datacenter plan in Caledonia, Wisconsin, following local opposition. The company has completed its first datacenter in Racine County, with plans for two more that will use millions of gallons of water annually.
Concerns over rising utility costs and perceived disregard for voters' opinions on datacenters are fueling anger. In Michigan, the leading Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Jocelyn Benson, is married to an executive at Related Companies, a firm involved in datacenter development. A survey indicated a majority of Michigan Democrats oppose having a datacenter within 25 miles of their home.
Progressive Democratic US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is one of the few Michigan Democrats fully acknowledging voter anger, calling for part-public ownership of datacenters. Brabbs, a resident near the Saline Township datacenter, expressed strong negative feelings about the project and the way it was approved, criticizing local Democratic leadership.