How to handle political attacks on data center support? Be bold, proud and unapologetic.
September 7, 2026
By Gary Abernathy
To the average voter, candidates who do an about-face on an issue they were previously proud
to own is an obvious sign of weakness. When it comes to data centers, such a turnaround is especially disturbing because defending the facilities is much more logical than attacking them.
Don’t take my word for it. Multiple surveys show that when the facts about data centers are
clearly articulated, negativity by voters largely evaporates. One recent survey by HostingAdvice
questioned 800 respondents in 16 states targeted for data center development and found that a
whopping 93% agreed that “cutting-edge AI data centers are vital to the United States,” but only 35% “would vote ‘yes’ to data center construction in their hometown if a vote were to be held.”
But guess what? That same survey found that 63% of respondents said the offer of community
benefits such as tax breaks and educational grants would make them more supportive, and 55% said the promise of new jobs would help change their minds.
Increasingly, data center developers are taking the hint. What is touted as the largest data center in the world (so far) is being built in Pike County, Ohio, a rural Appalachian community in the southern part of the state. Last month, OpenAI announced it was partnering with S.B. Energy, NVIDIA and the U.S. Department of Energy on the new facility. Take a look at how the community will benefit.
⦁ 35,000 construction jobs through 2032.
⦁ 2,500 long term jobs.
⦁ $120 million in community investments “to benefit Pike County and every public university
student in the state.”
There are additional investments designed to assist residents, particularly students, in taking full
advantage of AI technology. But the obvious question is this: What politician would run away from
taking credit for projects like this and the community benefits that come with them?
In a recent op-ed for the Washington Post, Taylor Budowich, founder and president of the
Innovation Council, offered a solid road map to overcoming data center objections. First, keep it local stressing that new data centers mean “lower taxes, better services and more jobs for your neighbors.”
Second, assure people, “Not a single shovel will touch our land, and not a single slab of concrete will be poured, for a new data center that drains our water and our power.” Finally, “Stop playing defense. … These projects are revitalizing many towns that have been left for dead.”
Some politicians get it. To his credit, President Trump has been blunt when it comes to data
centers, saying Friday, “If you want to get rich as a state or as a town, if you want to pay lower taxes, if you want to create tremendous wealth, if you want your house to be more valuable and everything else, you’re going to want a data center. If you want to go through poverty, crime and squalor, I would say don’t approve data centers.”
Others are also speaking more boldly. Georgia Congressman Rich McCormick (R) recently posted
on X, “We should be proud that our state is where companies want to develop and invest because they believe that we have the energy security needed to advance American technological innovation. More data centers mean more jobs, more investment, and more innovation right here in Georgia.”
In West Virginia, Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R) and state lawmakers are backing a plan wherein
“West Virginia dedicates 50% of revenue generated by approved hyperscale data center projects to
reducing and eventually eliminating the state personal income tax, while directing some remaining
revenue to counties and infrastructure projects.” Let that sink in – the state will eliminate its income tax thanks to data center development.
Trump’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge was a good move, and in Congress, members of the House
Energy and Commerce Committee are more daring than many of their colleagues, crafting the pledge into legislation that won widespread support and became “the first major bipartisan data center proposal to clear a congressional committee,” as Politico reported.
“We know two things can be true at the same time,” said Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.) at a
committee hearing. “We have to have the digital infrastructure to beat communist China … but we also have to make sure that our communities know that these things are being done responsibly.”
While some community opposition to data centers is understandable – too often based on poor
communication by developers – there is also something more nefarious at work. According to Axios, X (formerly Twitter) has reported, “Roughly 200 accounts from a suspected Chinese bot farm have quietly tried to influence Americans to oppose AI data centers on social media.”
Instead of running from their support for data centers, candidates should cut ads citing the
benefits to their states or regions – the jobs, the economic growth, the investments and grants – then
look into the camera and declare, “If my opponent is against thousands of new jobs and millions in local investments for schools and community projects, you have to wonder why. I’m fighting for our families, our schools and our future, and to make sure that China never has the upper hand. And I’ll never apologize for it.”
When advocating for data centers, candidates should be bold, proud and unapologetic. Voters
respect tenacity, consistency and honesty. Sometimes the polls change the message. It’s always better when the message changes the polls.
Gary Abernathy is a longtime newspaper editor, reporter and columnist. He was a contributing
columnist for the Washington Post from 2017-2023 and a frequent guest analyst across numerous media platforms. He is a contributing opinion columnist for The Empowerment Alliance, which advocates for realistic approaches to energy consumption and environmental conservation.