Story perspectives

Data-center opposition swings 8 of 9 Senate races

By Drooid · Sep 23, 2026, 3:15 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

U.S. Senate candidates are shifting positions because data-center opposition is emerging as a sleeper issue.
Data Center Watch recorded 45 projects worth $68 billion blocked or delayed April-June 2026.
Earlier in 2026, 75 projects valued at $130 billion were blocked or delayed in Q1.
Thirty statehouses have introduced or adopted rules on data-center siting, electricity, and water.
Eight of nine Senate toss-up races include at least one planned data center, per Cleanview.

History

Historical Context

After the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation took effect on 25 May 2018, its extraterritorial consent rules forced many tech firms to adjust data-center strategies in Europe. That same regulatory pressure now fuels opposition from groups like Data Center Watch to U.S. Senate candidates, mirroring the 2018 Deloitte finding that 92 % of companies felt able to comply.

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Story summary

U.S. Senate candidates are shifting positions because data-center opposition is emerging as a sleeper issue.
Data Center Watch recorded 45 projects worth $68 billion blocked or delayed April-June 2026.
Earlier in 2026, 75 projects valued at $130 billion were blocked or delayed in Q1.
Thirty statehouses have introduced or adopted rules on data-center siting, electricity, and water.
Eight of nine Senate toss-up races include at least one planned data center, per Cleanview.

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