GOP warns 'radioactive' issue could sink senator - and 'expand far beyond Ohio'
PUBLISHED Aug 19, 2026, 4:40 PM ET
The National Republican Senatorial Committee has warned AI companies that public backlash against data centers threatens Sen. Jon Husted's Ohio reelection bid, according to an Aug. 18 memo obtained by Axios. The memo, titled "Ohio Data Center Risk," says Democrats have made data centers a "centerpiece" of their campaign against Husted and that the strategy is working. A Fox News poll last week showed Democratic challenger Sherrod Brown leading Husted by 8 percentage points, 53% to 45% . The NRSC memo cautions that if Husted loses and data centers are blamed, "politicians across the country will take notice — and they will not go near the next one." Internal polling reportedly shows data centers are about as popular as spent nuclear waste, driven by concerns over electricity and water usage, rising utility bills, and minimal job creation . Ohio hosts over 200 existing or developing data centers. Husted, who once championed the industry, now supports local control and federal legislation requiring companies to pay for their electricity .
By Lauren Mitchell | JQJO News
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Left: Data center backlash reveals GOP corporate giveaways harming working-class families. Center: Data center unpopularity poses a political risk for Republicans in Ohio. Right: Data centers are vital for AI, but poor messaging threatens GOP candidate.
Axios https://www.axios.com/2026/08/18/gop-data-centers-ohio-husted
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GOP warns 'radioactive' issue could sink senator - and 'expand far beyond Ohio'
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