Lesson From Lansing: To Win in Swing Districts, Fight Data Centers
Left-aligned candidate Will Lawrence declared victory over a Republican incumbent after battling new AI infrastructure in his purple Michigan district. The post Lesson From Lansing: To Win in Swing Districts, Fight Data Centers appeared first on The Intercept .
When progressive Will Lawrence won a Michigan congressional primary earlier this year, some Democrats expressed concern over his chances of winning one of the most evenly divided districts in the nation. Lawrence's victory over Republican Rep. Tom Barrett was aided by a campaign that focused on opposition to data centers in the 7th Congressional District of Michigan.
Data centers had been on voters' minds, but the issue was particularly salient in this swing district. Lawrence vocally opposed data center construction and proposed a moratorium on new developments, environmental regulations, and a national jobs program to replace jobs lost to artificial intelligence. He drew skepticism from some observers, but his background as an environmental activist and co-founder of the Sunrise Movement gave him an edge in coming down on the side of the public on the issue.
Lawrence's opponent attempted to use Lawrence's past as a liability, but Lawrence's opposition to data centers united both Democrats and Republicans concerned about the issue.
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