Teddy Schleifer
Reporter at The New York Times who covers money in politics: billionaire donors, super PACs, dark money and campaign finance, including Elon Musk's spending on...
“This is as close to a national referendum as you're going to get. Clearly, in 38 different places, a lot of Americans feel the same way. I haven't reported on these referenda much, but 38 to zero is a pretty good average. And why do you start a data center super PAC? It's because you face political challenges or policy headwinds.”
Big Technology · Tech Strategy & Big Tech · November 2026
Context
The host had read a headline saying voters in at least 38 jurisdictions passed bans or restrictions on data centers. Schleifer reads it as a sign the political fight over AI is narrowing to data centers.
Transcript
…as the Republican majorities that this industry has enjoyed for the last two years. And, you know, just how bad it is, I don't totally know yet. But I think we're going to look back on the last year and a half as a bygone era when it was so unencumbered that we didn't appreciate it in the moment.
…for bans or restrictions on data centers. So, on top of this wave, where by the way, they're probably going to be reading the tea leaves here, you have a massive amount of voters coming out and saying, we don't want data centers in our backyard. So, what do you think the implications are there?
Yeah, I mean, this is as close to a national referendum as you're going to get. I mean, this is obviously a brand new industry with where the politics are still being sorted out in real time. And clearly, a lot of Americans in 38 different places, at least, feel the same way. I haven't reported a ton on these different or at all on these referendum or referenda, but clearly 38 to zero is a pretty good average. I mean, we also saw for the first time this election, the data center industry do their own super PAC, which is kind of, I think, speaks to the ways in which the political winds are blowing here, which is that all of this political energy around AI Buildout? think, is going to be channeled much more narrowly into the next battle around data centers specifically, where why do you start a data center super PAC? It's because you face political challenges or policy headwinds. And the data center super PAC spent a bunch of money to try to help elect Darlene Graham in South Carolina. She did not win. And I think going forward, a lot of as a lot of these fights kind of take off, there's going to need to be money…
Now, you're the world's preeminent reporter on how tech money influences politics. And thank you. It's true. It's true. Okay, folks, for those listening, Teddy and I are friends in case you can't figure it out, but it's really true. No one does it like you, Teddy. And I just want to hear your…
now. Yeah, I mean, look, the comeuppance here for the tech industry, I think, is still TBD. But clearly, like, I don't think we're appreciating just how good they had it. You know, on AI in particular, I mean, this was an administration that was very pliant to the industry. Trump is still going to…
Okay. And as much as you can say, is the vibe around the people that you speak with, like, this is not going to be a big deal, or, or, oh, goodness, we're in trouble. Like, what is their basically condition state today?
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