Abdul El-Sayed Gets Boost in Michigan as Voters Sour on AI Data Centers

As artificial intelligence and the data centers that support it gain traction, progressive Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed is capitalizing on the backlash in Michigan's U.S. Senate race. According to a New York Times/Siena poll, 46% of Michigan voters trust El-Sayed to manage AI and data centers, compared to 35% who support Republican former Representative Mike Rogers.

Skepticism surrounds the technology, with 66% opposing new AI data centers and 29% backing them. El-Sayed's advantage on this issue surpasses his overall lead in the race, where he leads 49% to 44% among likely voters. The poll, which surveyed 605 Michigan residents from September 15-22 with a margin of error of ±4.9 percentage points, marks the second-largest lead for El-Sayed in any September survey, following the Suffolk University poll from the previous day.

The poll highlights generational and age-related divides, with El-Sayed leading among 18-29-year-olds by 71 points and among 30-44-year-olds by 21 points. Rogers leads among voters aged 45-64 by 16 points and those 65 and older by 5 points. El-Sayed's stance on data centers has become a key campaign issue, with him advocating for moratoriums on new facilities until federal rules ensure union jobs, prevent utility bill hikes, protect water resources, and fund power-grid investments.

Despite Rogers' recent reversal, his stance on data centers has put him at odds with the White House, which has criticized communities opposing the technology.