By Alex Johnson | Wednesday, August 19, 2026
A National Republican Senatorial Committee memo sent to leading artificial intelligence companies warns that public backlash against data centers is threatening the party’s hold on a key Ohio Senate seat.
The memo, titled “Ohio Data Center Risk” and dated August 18, states that Democrats have made data centers a “centerpiece” of their campaign to unseat Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio). The document warns that Husted and Democrat candidate Sherrod Brown are “in a dead heat,” with data centers emerging as “the new ingredient (and the new problem)” in the race.
The committee wrote: “If he loses and data centers get the blame, politicians across the country will take notice — and they will not go near the next one.”
The memo noted that Brown has aired three television ads on data centers totaling more than 6,000 points of airtime. Internal polling shows this messaging is “significantly more effective than traditional messaging tracts.” The committee described data centers as “a sleeper issue for the entire election cycle.”
It also argued that campaigns and party committees “cannot fix the toxic brand of an entire segment of the economy” and that companies building data centers must address public concerns about “who benefits, who pays, and why a community should want one.”
The memo urged AI companies to explain the economic benefits of data centers and address concerns over costs and community impacts. The National Republican Senatorial Committee noted that more than 4,000 data centers are currently operating across the U.S., with over 3,000 additional facilities proposed or under development.
A Fox News poll cited by the committee found 65% of Ohio voters oppose having a data center built in their area, compared to 32% who support such construction. Opposition crosses party lines, and the same poll shows Brown leading Husted 53-45.
