How the Wisconsin governor’s race became a data center hate-off
The general election for Wisconsin governor is now a week old. But the past seven days of debate between the race’s Republican and Democratic candidates can be paraphrased in just two lines: “My opponent is a shill for Big Tech who wants to build data centers over Wisconinites’ farms, parks, preserves, graves — and, possibly, […]
On February 12, 2026, protesters gathered in Madison, Wisconsin, for a statewide day of action against data centers. This was just the latest in a series of debates between Republican nominee Tom Tiffany and Democratic candidate David Crowley regarding the issue. Both candidates have criticized each other for allegedly being in the pocket of Big Tech and pushing for the construction of data centers on farmland, parks, preserves, and even Lambeau Field.
The Republican nominee has been the aggressor in this argument, branding Crowley as "Data Center David" and highlighting his support for turning Wisconsin into a "data hub." Tiffany contends that Crowley is eager to let the state's resources be depleted for the benefit of Silicon Valley. However, it turns out that the candidates' policies on hyper-scale development are not that different from each other.
Some Wisconsin labor unions and municipalities stand to gain significantly from data center projects, so both candidates have been careful not to embrace a moratorium on new developments in order to maintain support. Crowley has vowed to give every community veto power over data center projects within its territory and require strict regulations for new computing campuses.
On the other hand, Tiffany has accused Crowley of being a corporate puppet, citing his past support for tax cuts benefiting Big Tech, data center-friendly permitting reforms, and a ban on state and local AI regulations.
The Wisconsin governor's race has now become a flashpoint in the national debate over data centers. However, it's unclear how much the candidates actually disagree on the issue as governor. The politics surrounding data centers are more complex than polling data would suggest, as key constituencies in both parties remain invested in hyperscale development.
Despite their apparent ideological differences, Tiffany and Crowley's policies on data center construction are more similar than they might seem. Neither candidate supports a statewide moratorium, local communities have veto power over new developments, companies must pay for the full cost of energy needs, and nondisclosure agreements are prohibited.
Both candidates have also shown flexibility in their support for the AI industry in the past. Thus, the distinctions between Crowley and Tiffany's positions on data center construction are narrower than their attacks would imply, and these tensions largely stem from their support for organized labor.
Written by urgent.news from Vox's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
