Republicans · Democrats · NPR Technology
Burt Jones who shed the June runoff to healthcare billionaire Rick Jackson
Compiled by KHAO Editorial — aggregated from 3 sources. See llms.txt for citation guidance.
✓ KHAO Verified
In campaign ads airing everywhere from Georgia to Iowa, Republicans and Democrats are confronting the same enemy: data centers powering the artificial intelligence boom.
Key facts
- According to AdImpact data, gubernatorial races spent the most on such ads, about $32 million, with House races in second place, spending $8 million and Senate races coming in third at roughly $5.3
- From January to August, spending was nearly identical: over $22 million supported Republican candidates and more than $21 million for Democratic candidates, with independents driving the rest
- The Friends of Byron Donalds PAC paid over $2.5 million to air the ad
- A Believe in Wisconsin PAC ad for Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Crowley, which the group spent $634,795 to air in August, promises that Crowley "will lower costs, make housing
Summary
An NPR analysis of political advertising data from the firm AdImpact found that since January, campaigns and outside groups have spent more than $45 million on ads mentioning data centers in this year's gubernatorial, House and Senate races. The two major parties driving that spending are largely making the same argument: the sprawling facilities get too many tax breaks, drive up electricity bills and need reining in. From January to August, spending was nearly identical: over $22 million supported Republican candidates and more than $21 million for Democratic candidates, with independents driving the rest. Mentions of data centers have grown from a handful in ads from January, to 62 in June, more than 110 in July and about 164 in August, as the election draws nearer and the issue continues to heat up.