“Honestly, I think the right tone is the negative tone for AI because the right tone for the voters is being against it. So, for example, former Senator Sherrod Brown in Ohio has been the one who's been leaning into the anti-data center message and has seen him rewarded with polling.”
Bloomberg Surveillance · October 2026
Context
George Pollack, a political analyst, tells Bloomberg Surveillance on October 21, 2026, which candidates are striking the right tone on AI and data centers on the campaign trail, with Ohio's Senate race between Sherrod Brown and Jon Husted as an example.
Transcript
…concern about data centers goes well beyond the money. It goes to the effect of their property values. It goes to the perception of the impact on their energy costs. It goes to the good old American nimbyism that's not going anywhere soon, no matter how much money you put in front of an American.
Who do you think is striking the right tone right now when it comes to AI and data centers on the campaign trail?
Honestly, I think the right tone is the negative tone for AI because the right tone for the voters is being against it. So, for example, former Senator Sherrod Brown in Ohio has been the one who's been leaning into the anti-data center message and has seen him rewarded with polling. Senator Husted is trying to push back and say, this is what I'm doing, this is why it's good, and this is why it's a productive thing, and make that national security argument that is correct, but to the voters. it doesn't matter. So I think in terms of the midterms, the right argument, unfortunately, electorally, is the wrong argument for the long-term future of AI in the United States.
George, we're 13 days out from the election. Do you still have Texas going blue?
I still have Texas going blue, and while I always avoid looking at early voting data because anyone can tell a story without data, I do find that with even a Republican increasing their spending, State Rep. James Tallarico has been able to set out a pretty compelling message that Ken Paxton has not…
I'm not under investigation.
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