Democrats dump $7 million in anti-data center messaging in Ohio in hopes of flipping Senate seat

Published October 1, 2026 10:12am ET | Updated October 1, 2026 10:12am ET



Democrats are spending $7 million on television ads focused on tying Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) to data centers, the latest effort by the party to hurt Republicans by linking them to the controversial issue.

After data centers emerged as an increasingly unpopular issue at the beginning of the year, Democrats were first to pin the topic on Republicans, to their great benefit. Republicans have begun privately acknowledging the damage the issue has done in many races and have begun maneuvering to respond. Defend the Vote, a Democratic political action committee, laid into the issue further with a $7 million ad buy in Ohio, Punchbowl reported, aiming to hand Husted’s seat to former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.

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