Data Centers Fuel Ad War

What happened

Updated Oct 31, 1:59pm ET

Campaigns and outside groups have turned data centers into a $173 million midterm advertising battle. Disclosures reveal roughly one in five members of Congress have household investments linked to AI or data centers. The fight has spread through ballot measures, campaign ads and local races over whether the facilities should be built. Residents and candidates have raised concerns about heavy electricity and water use, environmental damage and higher household utility bills. Lawmakers from both parties have called for stronger protections, while Congress considers requiring large data centers to pay more infrastructure costs. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has halted new approvals pending an audit. The elections could affect rules for 67.4 gigawatts of planned projects.

How the left told it

Only one left-leaning outlet we track covered this: Mother Jones, under the headline “Politicians attack data centers while profiting from their construction”.

How the right told it

Only one right-leaning outlet we track covered this: Breitbart News, under the headline “Pew Research: Data Centers Emerge as Flashpoint in Midterm Ad Spending”.