Data Centers Become a Sleeper Issue in the Midterms

A Democratic ad in Texas opens with a woman Googling why her electric bill is going up. The answer: Greg Abbott accepted $20 million in campaign donations from data center executives, gave them billions in tax breaks, and now energy costs are soaring to meet AI's needs. The spot doesn't use the politician's own words—it uses a Google search interface, which takes the ad out of the "one politician talking shit on another politician" frame and into an environment everyone recognizes for getting information. That's part of why Brian Telekovin, joining Dan Viper on this episode, thinks it's so effective.

The data center issue is popping up in races across the country, and it's becoming a signature division between Trump-aligned Republicans and the rest of the electorate. In Texas, where electric bills are already high, Governor Abbott was aggressively pro-data center—encouraging them to come, taking credit for attracting them—and now finds himself in a shockingly close race against Democrat Gina Hinosa, who has zeroed in on the utility cost burden. Texas hasn't had a Democratic governor this century, but polls show Hinosa within a couple points.

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