Democrat wins will slow data center construction and force tech to the negotiating table after even Republican stronghold of Texas flips

The blue tidal wave that shook up U.S. politics last night ushered in several anti-data center governors in key states that could complicate Big Tech’s plans to build out the infrastructure powering AI.

Democrats seized control of both chambers of Congress as a result of the midterm election Tuesday, flipping at least seven Senate seats in a historic wave that The Washington Post called a rebuke on a scale not seen since 1974. Democrats also flipped more than two dozen Republican-held House seats, with some races still undecided.

Democrats’ victories were fueled by concerns over affordability and the Iran war, as well as President Trump’s unpopularity. Yet another factor also played a role: voters’ widespread concern over the rapid buildout of data centers across the country.

Among the Democratic victories, the elections of three governors who campaigned on restricting data center development, Gina Hinojosa in Texas, Amy Acton in Ohio, and Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia could be consequential for the AI industry’s future expansion.

While members of Congress would need to pass legislation, and potentially overcome a veto by President Trump, to impose new restrictions on data centers, the incoming Democratic governors have more tools at their disposal, including the power to influence permitting, regulation, and tax incentives........

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