Republicans start to turn on data centers as midterm elections approach

Published August 19, 2026 9:18am ET | Updated August 19, 2026 9:18am ET



Republicans are growing increasingly concerned about the politics of artificial intelligence data centers, which have triggered heavy backlash that threatens to make a real impact on the midterm elections.

Axios obtained a memo from the National Republican Senatorial Committee warning AI companies that data centers were becoming tremendously unpopular, and that Democrats were effectively exploiting this fear in several major races. They pointed to the race to oust Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH), who was increasingly in existential danger over the exploitation of the issue.

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