In purple Michigan, Republicans are seeking to contrast themselves with Democrats on every issue except one — data centers.
GOP Senate candidate Mike Rogers’ campaign told The Detroit News on Thursday that he backs a one-year moratorium on data center construction in Michigan.
“While I don’t support a federal ban, Michigan needs stronger guardrails to protect community control, prevent utility price hikes, protect our water and stop pay-to-play schemes,” Mr. Rogers said. “That is why I am calling for a one-year moratorium on new data centers until we establish a fair, transparent approval process that puts local communities first.”
The platform of Mr. Rogers’ Democratic opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, calls for “comprehensive federal zoning guidelines” to keep data center construction in check.
Rated a toss-up by The Cook Political Report, Michigan’s Senate race could determine control of the chamber.
Mr. Rogers has emphasized the gap between him and Mr. El-Sayed, accusing him of left-wing extremism.
Then came the Republican’s Thursday pronouncement, with Mr. El-Sayed alleging the new position is all for show.
“He’s running for U.S. Senate, meaning he can’t actually do anything at the state level,” said Mr. El-Sayed.
In Michigan’s 7th Congressional District — one of the most-watched House battlegrounds — Republican Rep. Tom Barrett is also seeking to counter Democratic data center rhetoric with statements in support of local control.
“Michigan water, Michigan land and Michigan’s future belong to Michiganders,” Mr. Barrett says in a new ad. “I believe you should decide on data centers, not Washington.”
Mr. Barrett is facing off against Democrat William Lawrence, a climate activist and self-identified socialist who calls for a federal moratorium on data center construction.
Mr. Lawrence has run ads accusing Mr. Barrett of seeking to expand data centers across rural mid-Michigan.
“Congressman Tom Barrett wants to turn this field into a data center,” says Mr. Lawrence in one ad showing an empty field in Mason. “He laughed when voting to give Big Tech billionaires the massive tax breaks to build it.”
Jason Roe, a consultant for Mr. Barrett’s campaign, told The Washington Times that they wanted to neutralize Mr. Lawrence’s use of the issue by declaring Mr. Barrett’s support for state-level decision-making on data center policy.
“It’s the primary thing that Lawrence is using as a cudgel right now, and it’s just making [stuff] up, which is what infuriates me,” said Mr. Roe. “We decided … when we get up with our ads, we’re going to lean in on this and take it off the table for him as an issue.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Lawrence, like Mr. El-Sayed, rejects calls for states to take the lead as opposed to the feds stopping data centers.
“Don’t buy this nonsense about local control as an alternative to a data center moratorium,” Mr. Lawrence said in a recent video. “Local control amounts to the right to get bulldozed, intimidated, bullied and beaten by these trillion-dollar corporations.”
