{"publisher":{"name":"MediaBias News","url":"https://mediabias.news","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology","editorialPrinciples":"https://mediabias.news/editorial-principles","corrections":"https://mediabias.news/corrections"},"scoreGuide":{"trust":"How well corroborated and evidenced the source reporting is. 0-100, higher is better.","critic":"Craft quality of the source journalism: context, balance, fact vs comment. 0-100, higher is better.","hype":"How far the source presentation runs ahead of substance. 0-100, LOWER IS BETTER.","scope":"Scores assess the original reporting this article was written from, not the truth of the underlying event and not the quality of this write-up."},"assessmentGuide":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"story":{"id":"https://mediabias.news/politics/us-politicians-push-back-against-data-centers-amid-backlash","slug":"us-politicians-push-back-against-data-centers-amid-backlash","url":"https://mediabias.news/politics/us-politicians-push-back-against-data-centers-amid-backlash","title":"US politicians push back against data centers amid backlash","subtitle":"Concerns over power grids, water, and environment fuel opposition from across the political spectrum.","excerpt":"A growing backlash against data center projects is emerging across the US, with politicians from both major parties raising concerns about their impact on electricity grids, water supplies, and the environment. This opposition is influencing midterm election campaigns, particularly in states like Pennsylvania.","category":"Politics","area":"United States","publishedAt":"2026-08-25T18:45:56.673Z","sourceReportedAt":"2026-08-25T11:20:18.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-25T18:45:56.673Z","readTime":"3 min read","scores":{"trust":42,"critic":57,"hype":41,"notes":{"trust":"Central claims attributed to named bodies, but relies on anonymous sourcing for industry reaction.","critic":"Quotes affected parties and names specific figures, but lacks detail on what happens next.","hype":"Headline promises a significant impact on elections, but the body focuses on political positioning."}},"tags":["#DataCenters","#AI","#Environment","#Politics","#USPolitics","#MidtermElections"],"entities":["Greg Abbott","Josh Shapiro","Mike Rogers","Pennsylvania","Texas","Michigan"],"body":[{"type":"key_takeaways","items":["A backlash against data center construction is growing across the US, driven by concerns over electricity grids, water supplies, and environmental impact.","Political leaders from both sides of the aisle, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, are opposing new data center projects.","Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has issued an executive order requiring local community approval for data center permits.","Eight states have rolled back data center tax subsidies in 2026, with 17 others considering similar measures."]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"A backlash against data center projects is intensifying across the United States, fuelled by concerns about their strain on electricity grids, water resources, and the environment. This opposition is becoming a significant factor in political campaigns, particularly as companies rapidly build infrastructure to support artificial intelligence expansion."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Political figures from across the spectrum have voiced opposition. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has paused approvals for new data center construction pending audits of projects' tax breaks, ownership, and proposed water use. In Michigan, Republican Mike Rogers has supported a one-year moratorium on new data center construction. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order mandating local community approval for data center permits, a shift from his state's previous positioning as a data center hub."},{"type":"heading","text":"Disagreement on the influence of data centers on elections"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The American Bazaar reported that the backlash is intensifying as companies race to build infrastructure for AI expansion. USA Today stated that the bipartisan backlash is scrambling midterm elections. However, explorejeffersonpa.com, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and statecollege.com focused their reporting on Pennsylvania, stating that data centers are redefining midterm races across the state, with candidates making data center criticism central to their campaigns."},{"type":"heading","text":"What the coverage left out"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"None of the reports printed below mention Republican Mike Rogers' support for a one-year moratorium on new data center construction in Michigan. The American Bazaar reported this detail, but it was not included in the digests from the other outlets."}],"basedOn":[{"sourceName":"explorejeffersonpa.com","url":"https://explorejeffersonpa.com/politics/2026/08/25/data-centers-are-redefining-midterm-races-across-pennsylvania-179864","headline":"Data Centers are ‘Redefining’ Midterm Races Across Pennsylvania","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-25T11:20:18.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Pittsburgh Post-Gazette","url":"https://post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2026/08/25/pennsylvania-data-centers-election/stories/202608250010","headline":"Data centers are ‘redefining’ midterm races across Pennsylvania","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-25T08:08:51.215Z"},{"sourceName":"statecollege.com","url":"https://statecollege.com/articles/elections/data-centers-are-redefining-midterm-races-across-pennsylvania","headline":"Data Centers Are ‘Redefining’ Midterm Races Across Pennsylvania","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T18:32:01.000Z"},{"sourceName":"USA Today","url":"https://usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/08/24/data-centers-trump-midterm-elections/91442283007","headline":"Americans' backlash to data centers is scrambling midterm elections","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T18:21:50.000Z"},{"sourceName":"The American Bazaar","url":"https://americanbazaaronline.com/2026/08/24/data-centers-face-increasing-scrutiny-and-backlash-486929","headline":"Data centers face increasing scrutiny and backlash from political leaders","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T15:36:28.000Z"},{"sourceName":"LancasterOnline","url":"https://lancasteronline.com/news/politics/data-centers-are-redefining-midterm-races-across-pennsylvania/article_69463ca3-9fcd-41ec-acf4-b66bd1002e55.html","headline":"Data centers are ‘redefining’ midterm races across Pennsylvania","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T15:00:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"The Standard-Journal","url":"https://standard-journal.com/news/local/data-centers-redefining-midterm-races/article_5da359f6-191f-4894-bb97-f73d7a29a876.html","headline":"Data centers redefining midterm races","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T12:30:00.000Z"}],"analysis":{"distribution":{"percent":{"left":33,"centre":67,"right":0},"count":{"left":2,"centre":4,"right":0},"totalSources":7,"untracked":1,"rated":6,"observedAt":"2026-08-25T18:30:36.054413+00:00"},"lifecycle":{"state":"developing","lastCheckedAt":"2026-08-25T19:00:35.563Z","closedAt":null,"checks":1,"changes":0,"reopened":false},"framing":{"left":["The American Bazaar and USA Today reports highlighted the bipartisan nature of the backlash against data centers. The American Bazaar quoted an AI company representative who suggested that public anger over wealth inequality could fuel opposition to data centers. Both outlets noted that states are increasingly rolling back tax subsidies for data centers, with eight states enacting such legislation in 2026 and 17 others considering it. The American Bazaar also mentioned Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's statement that he would not allow \"Pennsylvanians to be bullied by greedy developers and bulldozed by the lawyers working for these big tech companies.\""],"centre":["The centre-rated reports from explorejeffersonpa.com, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and statecollege.com focused on the impact of data center criticism on midterm elections in Pennsylvania. They noted that candidates in at least 20 competitive legislative races are taking stances on data centers, and Gov. Josh Shapiro has adopted a tougher position. These reports indicated that there are over 120 proposed data centers across Pennsylvania, leading to significant community backlash."],"right":[],"comparison":""},"blindspot":null,"sourceFactualityDistribution":{"high":3,"unknown":3,"veryHigh":1},"ownershipDistribution":{"mediaConglomerate":1,"independent":2},"firstDatedReport":{"sourceName":"The Standard-Journal","url":"https://standard-journal.com/news/local/data-centers-redefining-midterm-races/article_5da359f6-191f-4894-bb97-f73d7a29a876.html","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T12:30:00.000Z"},"countries":[{"country":"Milton, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States","count":1},{"country":"Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States","count":1},{"country":"New York, New York, United States","count":1},{"country":"State College, Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States","count":1},{"country":"Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States","count":1}],"outlets":[{"name":"The Standard-Journal","url":"https://standard-journal.com/news/local/data-centers-redefining-midterm-races/article_5da359f6-191f-4894-bb97-f73d7a29a876.html","headline":"Data centers redefining midterm races","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T12:30:00.000Z","leaningSide":"centre","leaningRating":"center","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Milton, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"LancasterOnline","url":"https://lancasteronline.com/news/politics/data-centers-are-redefining-midterm-races-across-pennsylvania/article_69463ca3-9fcd-41ec-acf4-b66bd1002e55.html","headline":"Data centers are ‘redefining’ midterm races across Pennsylvania","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T15:00:00.000Z","leaningSide":"centre","leaningRating":"center","factualityRating":"veryHigh","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"The American Bazaar","url":"https://americanbazaaronline.com/2026/08/24/data-centers-face-increasing-scrutiny-and-backlash-486929","headline":"Data centers face increasing scrutiny and backlash from political leaders","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T15:36:28.000Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"leanLeft","factualityRating":"unknown","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":null},{"name":"USA Today","url":"https://usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/08/24/data-centers-trump-midterm-elections/91442283007","headline":"Americans' backlash to data centers is scrambling midterm elections","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T18:21:50.000Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"leanLeft","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"New York, New York, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"statecollege.com","url":"https://statecollege.com/articles/elections/data-centers-are-redefining-midterm-races-across-pennsylvania","headline":"Data Centers Are ‘Redefining’ Midterm Races Across Pennsylvania","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T18:32:01.000Z","leaningSide":"centre","leaningRating":"center","factualityRating":"unknown","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"State College, Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States","repostedFrom":"LancasterOnline"},{"name":"Pittsburgh Post-Gazette","url":"https://post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2026/08/25/pennsylvania-data-centers-election/stories/202608250010","headline":"Data centers are ‘redefining’ midterm races across Pennsylvania","publishedAt":"2026-08-25T08:08:51.215Z","leaningSide":"centre","leaningRating":"center","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States","repostedFrom":"LancasterOnline"},{"name":"explorejeffersonpa.com","url":"https://explorejeffersonpa.com/politics/2026/08/25/data-centers-are-redefining-midterm-races-across-pennsylvania-179864","headline":"Data Centers are ‘Redefining’ Midterm Races Across Pennsylvania","publishedAt":"2026-08-25T11:20:18.000Z","leaningSide":null,"leaningRating":"unknown","factualityRating":"unknown","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":"LancasterOnline"}]},"assessment":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"citation":{"recommended":"MediaBias News, \"US politicians push back against data centers amid backlash\", https://mediabias.news/politics/us-politicians-push-back-against-data-centers-amid-backlash","canonicalUrl":"https://mediabias.news/politics/us-politicians-push-back-against-data-centers-amid-backlash","instructions":["Cite and link the canonical article URL, not the API, markdown mirror, homepage, or an original outlet URL.","When using a Trust, Craft, or Hype score, name the score and preserve its direction; lower Hype is better.","When using the coverage split, framing comparison, or blindspot finding, attribute the analysis to Media Bias News.","Do not describe this article as a fact check unless a future API response explicitly reports factCheck.status as performed."]},"links":{"canonical":"https://mediabias.news/politics/us-politicians-push-back-against-data-centers-amid-backlash","json":"https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/us-politicians-push-back-against-data-centers-amid-backlash","markdown":"https://mediabias.news/politics/us-politicians-push-back-against-data-centers-amid-backlash.md","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology"}}}