As we turn the corner from the Fourth of July, and the World Cup nears its conclusion, the political momentum around data centers continues to build as well.

From Texas, where Governor Greg Abbott called for an outright ban on AI data center construction in rural communities, to an exponentially growing number of local elections around the country, it’s clear that there has been a palpable shift in momentum and dialogue around this critical infrastructure.

Consider our latest findings from Hawthorn Intelligence

  • Fact 1 – Data Centers are Playing a Role in Major Races – ones that will decide the balance of power in Washington, state capitals, and Main Street. 60% of this year’s county-level fights are happening in counties Trump carried in 2024, but outcomes are nearly identical across party lines (projects get blocked : 66% in Trump counties and 68% in the Democratic counties).
  • Fact 2 – While there have been millions spent on both sides, it’s clear that environmental and conservation arguments are gaining real traction across voter demographics. This aligns with Gallup polling from May showing 71% of Americans oppose a data center in their vicinity, with opposition running across party lines.
  • Fact 3 – The data center pushback will be televised. While opposition may have started in city hall, it’s moved to the TV screen into political ads, as past involvement with a data center is now a political liability on the campaign trail. The commercials will hit a ready audience: rising energy costs are also the fastest-rising complaint in our data, appearing in 22% of incidents tracked so far in 2026 versus 17% in all of 2025.

Our team continues to monitor this issue closely, but we also would love to hear from you. If one of these topics affects your business, or if there is another form of intelligence that matters, please don’t hesitate to reach out, and we’re happy to provide our thoughts and counsel. Feel free to send us any themes, geographies, policy developments, or topics you would like us to examine in future editions.

Best Regards,

Jefferson Freeman
Vice President, Research & Intelligence – The Hawthorn Group