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Data centers are now a midterm issue, even in Brooklyn
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- DeepHorus
On Thursday evening in Brooklyn, a midterm election event hosted by Newsreel became a debate over AI and data centers. The gathering took place five days before the Nov. 3 midterms. When a moderator asked who was pro-AI data center, the crowd booed, showing how the issue has become a ballot-box concern.
New York City Council member Chi Ossé said he does not really use AI. He called for tech executives to be held accountable and for trillionaires like Elon Musk to be taxed more. He described himself as a "law and order" democratic socialist.
A Data Center Watch report found nearly $200 billion in projects were delayed, stalled, or blocked in the first half of 2026. Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, New York, and Virginia are weighing new guardrails. Virginia has hundreds of planned data centers and is called the "data center capital of the world."
The data center panel featured researcher Maia Woluchem and advocate Hilary Flint. Attendees were angered over secret deals between tech companies and local officials. Zoning rules can make it unclear what is being built until it is too late to protest.
Residents worry about cost of living, environmental risks, and losing control over their communities. They also fear AI replacing workers or humanity itself. Flint rejected claims of community benefits, asking, "What is a life worth?" and saying people value their lives more than a temporary check.
Ossé said CEOs discussing technology that could deplete 10 percent of civilization "should be called to testify in front of Congress." The backlash has already stalled billions in projects. With midterms approaching, data centers and AI could sway key races.
