Bernie Sanders Endorses Michigan Climate Candidate Amid Datacenter Controversy

Senator Bernie Sanders announced his support for Will Lawrence, a co-founder of the Sunrise Movement’s youth-led climate-justice wing, in the Democratic primary for Michigan’s swing 7th congressional district. Lawrence is campaigning on a national moratorium on AI datacenters until stringent regulations are enacted. The district, which voted for Donald Trump in 2016, 2020 and 2024 and elected Republican Tom Barrett to Congress in 2024, is labeled a “toss-up” for the November midterms.

The Guardian

Three hyperscaler-size AI datacenters are slated for the district, while a fourth was recently rejected by Lansing’s city council. Proponents argue the projects will bring jobs and investment; opponents, including Lawrence, contend they threaten climate goals and local utility costs. The race pits Lawrence’s climate-focused platform against incumbent Barrett and two other Democrats—Bridget Brink and Matt Maasdam—who have not endorsed a moratorium.

The Guardian

Lawrence notes that datacenters “fuel AI, which threatens many American jobs; consume water; and can push up utility bills due to their huge electricity needs.” An overwhelming majority of proposed U.S. datacenters would be powered by natural gas, which Lawrence describes as “a form of climate denial” if the grid cannot absorb the added emissions.

The Guardian

Sanders praised Lawrence as an “accomplished organizer” demanding accountability from big-tech and AI firms, and called him “exactly the kind of leader we need in Congress.” Lawrence reiterated his support for Sanders’s national moratorium and highlighted community concerns across Lansing. Barrett’s office, via consultant Jason Cabel Roe, argued that “whether a community chooses to have datacenters is up to those communities” and opposed federal intervention. Brink’s campaign spokesperson emphasized that any datacenter must avoid higher utility rates, grid strain, and environmental harm. Maasdam’s campaign website pledged to keep Michigan families “at the forefront of the AI safety conversation.”

The Guardian

Barrett has received funding from political action committees linked to DTE Energy and other private entities; Lawrence accused him of “doing nothing but follow orders from these corporate donors and from President Trump.” Brink and Maasdam have also taken contributions from investors in datacenter projects, prompting Lawrence to label the situation a “raw deal.” Roe reminded voters that the district “voted for President Trump, not Kamala Harris,” underscoring the political calculus behind opposition to the moratorium.

The Guardian

Lawrence told supporters that “big-tech billionaires want us to be desperate… and that threaten employment with AI in the longer term.” He added that “datacenters put a tremendous, unprecedented and unexpected burden on the grid” without a clean-energy plan, echoing concerns voiced by labor unions and local officials who seek both jobs and environmental safeguards.

The Guardian

While Lawrence and Sanders advocate a temporary ban, neither Democratic primary opponent has publicly backed the moratorium, and detailed projections of utility cost impacts remain unpublished.

The Guardian

• “Will is running an energizing, people-powered campaign and building a strong grassroots coalition that is prepared to stand up to Big Money interests,” — Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator

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• “It’s a form of climate denial, it really is, if you think that we’re going to be able to bring all this natural gas online and it’s not going to have a devastating impact on Michigan’s climate,” — Will Lawrence, congressional candidate

The Guardian

• “Whether a community chooses to have datacenters is up to those communities. The federal government should not tell local officials what businesses they can or cannot not have,” — Jason Cabel Roe, consultant for Barrett’s campaign

The Guardian

• “Any datacenter project should insure hard-working Michigan families won’t pay higher utility rates, datacenters don’t strain our grid and rely on their own clean energy power and utility infrastructure, communities aren’t hurt, and our environment is protected,” — Bridget Brink campaign spokesperson

The Guardian

The Democratic primary is set for August 2026, after which the general election will determine whether Lawrence’s moratorium platform influences congressional policy on AI datacenters in Michigan and beyond.

The Guardian