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Midterm Election Spotlight on Data Centers and AI

On a Thursday evening in Brooklyn, a neon-yellow-heeled reporter entered a dimly blue-lit warehouse for a midterm election gathering organized by Newsreel, the media company founded by former Forbes and Newsweek reporter Jack Brewster. The event, intended to encourage attendees to set aside phones and discuss the upcoming November 3 elections, quickly turned into a forum where AI, data centers, and the growing technocracy took center stage. The audience—comprising media professionals, technologists, policy advocates, and a handful of curious onlookers—found the discussion of data centers so compelling that it eclipsed the original agenda of election talk.

The evening’s lineup featured heavy-hitters such as Kenneth Schlenker, co-founder of the focus-app Opal, who spoke on the “state of attention,” and Aryan Banjan, creator of the campaign-management software Barza, who offered a midterm forecast. However, the most resonant moment came during a fireside chat with New York City Council member Chi Ossé. Ossé, who described himself as a democratic socialist with a “law and order” bent, expressed a desire for greater accountability from tech executives and suggested that trillionaires like Elon Musk should face higher taxes. He argued that CEOs promoting technologies capable of depleting 10 % of human civilization should be summoned to testify before Congress, underscoring the political urgency surrounding tech development.

The moderator then introduced a panel on data centers, inviting Maia Woluchem, a technology and human-rights researcher, and Hilary Flint, an environmental and public-health advocate. The moderator’s opening question—“Who here is pro-AI data center?”—was met with an immediate boo, setting a tone of palpable tension. Panelists highlighted how large tech firms appear to negotiate secret deals with local officials to erect billion-dollar data centers, often exploiting vague zoning rules that leave communities unaware of what is being built until construction is already underway. Residents, already grappling with rising living costs, voiced frustration that tech leaders discuss AI replacing workers or even humanity while offering little concrete benefit to their neighborhoods.

Flint emphasized that data centers have become the physical embodiment of public fear and anger toward the tech class. She asked, “What is a life worth?” when the conversation shifted to the occasional economic boost that data center projects can bring. Flint noted that community members continue to protest because they “value their lives a little bit more than a temporary check,” reflecting a broader sentiment that short-term financial incentives do not outweigh long-term health and environmental concerns.

The panel’s discussion dovetailed with broader national trends. A recent Data Center Watch report documented almost $200 billion in data-center projects delayed, stalled, or blocked in the first half of 2026 due to political and community opposition. States such as Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, New York, and Virginia are actively considering guardrails and transparency measures to curb the rapid expansion of data centers. Virginia alone hosts hundreds of planned facilities, reinforcing its nickname as the “data center capital of the world.” These developments suggest that data-center policy is emerging as a midterm ballot-box issue capable of influencing electoral outcomes in multiple states.

Following the data-center panel, the event continued with NewsNation host Batya Ungar-Sargon, political strategist Morris Katz—who worked on Zohran Mamdani’s campaign—and Vox reporter Astead Herndon. Although the segment was billed as a discussion on the future of the Democratic Party, conversation again veered toward data centers. Ungar-Sargon observed that some labor unions support data-center projects because of the jobs they promise, even though reports indicate that many of those jobs are temporary, disappearing once construction ends. She recalled the Rust Belt’s historical pride in large, utilitarian structures that once symbolized community prosperity and stability, noting that data centers now occupy a similar visual and symbolic space.

Herndon recalled a recent Ohio event where Vivek Ramaswamy was booed for making a comparable point about data-center benefits, reinforcing the perception of a consent deficit among voters. Katz echoed this skepticism, labeling data-center developers as “the same people who have taken so many union jobs away,” and accusing institutional powers of returning only “scraps” to working people after stripping them of previous employment. The recurring theme was clear: data centers are seen not merely as infrastructure but as a contested symbol of who controls economic opportunity and environmental risk.

Throughout the night, attendees left sticky notes on the warehouse walls answering posted questions. One note asked, “Will we ever be able to get Big Money out of politics?” Another responded, “God, I hope so.” These brief exchanges captured the underlying frustration that money and technology appear to dominate political discourse, often at the expense of ordinary citizens.

When asked after the event whether he was surprised by the focus on AI and data centers, Brewster confirmed that the topic appeared in every on-stage conversation and was the second most common subject in RSVP questions, even in a state like New York where data-center development has traditionally been less visible than in the South or Midwest. The intensity of the discussion suggests that data-center policy is no longer a niche concern for industry insiders but a mainstream political issue that could shape voter sentiment in upcoming midterm races.

The Brooklyn gathering illustrates a growing chasm between the tech sector’s optimism about AI and the public’s apprehension about its tangible impacts. As data centers proliferate, communities are demanding greater transparency, stronger zoning oversight, and accountability from the corporations and politicians who facilitate these projects. The outcome of these debates may determine not only the trajectory of AI deployment but also the political fortunes of candidates who either champion or resist the rapid expansion of data-center infrastructure.

Why it matters

Data center and AI debates are becoming decisive midterm issues that could sway voter sentiment and shape future tech policy.

FAQ

How much in data-center projects was delayed or blocked in the first half of 2026?
Almost $200 billion in data-center projects were delayed, stalled, or blocked.

Which states are considering more guardrails for data-center development?
Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, New York, and Virginia are considering additional guardrails and transparency measures.

What did council member Chi Ossé say about tech executives and AI?
He said tech executives should be held more accountable, that trillionaires like Elon Musk should be taxed more, and that CEOs promoting potentially harmful technology should testify before Congress.

What is Virginia’s nickname regarding data centers?
Virginia is nicknamed the “data center capital of the world.”

Source: TechCrunch. See the original source for full details.