A new POLITICO poll shows Americans increasingly view data centers as a future campaign topic, though opinions remain fluid. Lawmakers in both parties are pushing for regulations on AI use and data center growth amid concerns over energy and resources. States like Florida and New York are leading efforts to address these issues.
Data centers are emerging as a significant political issue in the United States, with neither major party yet having a fully defined position. According to a POLITICO Poll conducted by Public First from January 16 to 19, surveying 2,093 U.S. adults, a bipartisan majority expects data centers to become a campaign issue in their area, with nearly half anticipating this within the next five years. The poll, weighted by age, race, gender, geography, and education, has an overall margin of error of ±2 percentage points.
Republicans appear to have an early advantage, with pluralities in both parties supporting construction, but GOP voters are about 8 points more likely than Democrats to back it. President Donald Trump has been supportive, stating on social media that “Data Centers are key” to U.S. dominance in artificial intelligence. Among voters who backed Trump in 2024 and identify as “MAGA Republicans,” 55 percent support a new data center locally, compared to 38 percent of non-MAGA Trump voters and 36 percent of Kamala Harris voters.
Democrats express greater concerns about water supply and electricity bills, which topped the poll's drawbacks: 29 percent cited higher bills, 24 percent blackouts, and 23 percent taxpayer costs. Recent elections highlighted the issue's potency, with Democrats like Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey and Abigail Spanberger in Virginia winning gubernatorial races by emphasizing regulation of data centers' energy use.
Bipartisan state actions are accelerating. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, introduced an “AI bill of rights” last year, protecting consumers and residents, and recently expressed worries about unregulated AI, saying, “I really fear that if this is not addressed in an intelligent and proper way, you know, it could set off an age of darkness and deceit.” Parts of this, including bans on using a person's name, image, or likeness without consent and child protections for chatbots, passed the Florida Senate. DeSantis also addressed data center impacts on the power grid, water, and utility costs, dismissing job creation claims as overinflated.
In New York, Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul supports legislation for online safety, including age verification for platforms and default high privacy settings to protect children. She stated, “Under our proposals, we're removing that burden from parents and placing the responsibility where it belongs - on the shoulders of the app companies and the platforms themselves.” New York Democrats propose a temporary ban on data centers, with the Public Service Commission to ensure they “pay their fair share.” Similar efforts include Maine's ban on new large data centers and Colorado's renewable energy requirement.
Nearly every state has AI regulation proposals, such as human oversight for employee decisions and blocking AI for discriminatory pricing. The White House supports data centers but seeks voluntary commitments on electricity and water. Currently, data center construction ranks low among top U.S. issues, but 30 percent of those living within a mile say it will influence November elections, versus 17 percent overall.
Republican Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt noted the rapid rise: “If you had asked me about data centers five months ago, I would have said: ‘What’s a data center?’ Now it’s everywhere.” Democratic strategist Jared Leopold called it “a political bomb waiting to go off.”
