Opinion

The freakout over data centers is just another fracking backlash we need to ignore

Rising cancellations have made data centers a major midterm election flashpoint

By Arthur Herman Fox News

Published September 5, 2026 8:00am EDT

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Data center race: US-China Commission vice chair warns Beijing is moving fast

US-China Economic and Security Review Commission Vice Chairman Mike Kuiken discusses what he saw during a recent fact-finding trip to China, Beijing’s push to build AI infrastructure at speed and where the US still holds key advantages.

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The future of America as a high-tech superpower is at a tipping point.

The latest Fox poll shows 70% of Americans now oppose building new data centers in their communities, even though they are crucial to our future as a high-tech economy. Another report shows that 40% of new data centers have been delayed or canceled in 2026 — news that’s deeply welcome to our opponents in the artificial intelligence (AI) and tech race, the Communist Chinese Party.

Data centers have become an electoral issue for the midterms, even in a red state like Texas where Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has announced a construction moratorium. It’s probably the only thing he has in common with ultra-liberal Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York: a willingness to hit the pause button on data centers.

FROM NEW YORK TO TEXAS, STATES SHOULD RESPECT LOCAL CONTROL ON DATA CENTERS

This backlash comes despite the fact that every policymaker knows that data centers are needed to power our future economy, from AI to the Internet of Things and the cloud, and that the only real beneficiary of a moratorium will be China. Still, the public remains unconvinced, especially........

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