From Pennsylvania to Ohio to Texas, the governors’ races are all coming down to data centers

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has announced new restrictions on data center projects, requiring developers to meet specific standards such as paying for their electricity, limiting water usage, and gaining local approval before seeking state approval. These restrictions, deemed the "strictest guardrails in the nation," are aimed at addressing the backlash against the energy-intensive data centers being built to support artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

However, Republican challenger Stacy Garrity has criticized Shapiro for creating chaos and threatening the character of communities in Pennsylvania. Similarly, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered regulators to prevent higher electricity bills for Texans due to data centers and is planning to propose regulations to impose stricter rules on these facilities.

Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa has capitalized on the growing discontent among rural Republican voters by accusing Abbott of selling them out to data center executives. Data center opposition is not a guarantee of success for political candidates, as demonstrated by the defeat of a Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate who advocated for a one-year moratorium on data center construction.