Voters are fed up with data centers. Both parties are trying to cash in for midterms

Political advertising against AI data centers has surpassed $45 million in 2026 midterm spending, split nearly evenly between Republicans ($22 million) and Democrats ($21 million). Both parties are running on identical core arguments: data centers receive excessive tax breaks, drive up electricity bills, and require government intervention. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found 77% of Americans concerned about data centers raising energy costs, providing bipartisan political cover for candidates across the ideological spectrum. Georgia's gubernatorial race alone accounts for $12.8 million in data center-related ad spending, while Ohio's Senate race has become a national flashpoint after Democrats labeled incumbent Jon Husted "the face of data centers." The Republican National Senatorial Committee has internally flagged data centers as a "sleeper issue for the entire election cycle," warning the tech industry that political backlash is accelerating.