Across the Aisle is Hawthorn’s podcast for clear, practical conversations about politics, public affairs, and the forces shaping decision-making in Washington, state capitals, and communities across the country.
Hosted by Hawthorn CEO, John Ashford, the series brings together political strategists, policymakers, journalists, business leaders, and issue experts to examine the trends behind the headlines—from elections, voter behavior, and public opinion to energy, infrastructure, technology, regulation, and institutional trust.
For organizations operating in complex public environments, politics is not background noise. It shapes markets, reputations, investment decisions, community acceptance, and the ability to get things done. Across the Aisle explores those connections with the context, candor, and experience that help leaders understand not just what is happening, but why it matters.
The State of Data Center Development
Data centers have quickly moved from a technical infrastructure issue to a major public affairs challenge — touching energy demand, economic development, local opposition, AI, affordability, land use, and public trust. In this *Across the Aisle* series, John Ashford speaks with leading political, research, and public affairs experts about why data centers are becoming flashpoints in communities across the country, what voter anxiety means for developers, utilities, investors, and policymakers, and how organizations can better understand the local dynamics that shape whether projects move forward. For companies operating at the intersection of technology, infrastructure, and public opinion, the question is no longer simply where data centers can be built — but how to earn the trust and support needed to build them.
