AI data centers are turning into a rare bipartisan revolt in rural America
In Pennsylvania and Utah, power-line seizures, water fears and secretive permitting have pushed Democrats and Republicans into the same fight against the AI buildout — and it's already cost officials their seats.
What happened: In Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, NorthPoint Development offered residents $10,000 each for a $165 million, 1,300-acre data center campus (dubbed Project Hazelnut) that turned out to be for Amazon. Nearby, about 30 homeowners faced eminent domain over a high-voltage line to power it. In Mona, Utah, a 3-million-square-foot data center got a conditional permit approved without the usual notice to neighboring landowners. Residents learned of it months later and are now appealing. Both fights have drawn in people across the political spectrum who rarely protest together.
Why it matters: About 70% of Americans oppose data center construction near them, including 75% of Democrats and 63% of Republicans, according to Gallup. At least 75 U.S. data center projects worth over $130 billion were delayed or canceled in early 2026, and opposition groups more than doubled in the same stretch. Pennsylvania's governor reversed fast-track permitting rules after backlash, and Texas's governor halted 1,800 pending proposals. Both are signs that pro-AI politicians can no longer assume data centers are a political plus.
What's driving the anger: Researchers point to two consistent triggers: water and exclusion. In Utah, opposition to a nearby data center jumps from 25% to 68% once it is within three miles of home, driven by projects like one facility that used 80 million gallons a year, roughly what 750 households use annually. Developers say newer closed-loop cooling needs far less water after startup. The bigger complaint, though, is process: permits approved quietly, power lines routed through private land, and little public communication about who actually benefits from the project.
The rollout: The politics are shifting fast. Three Utah county commissioners have already lost their seats after backing data center projects, one citing death threats over the issue. Pennsylvania's governor race next month could test whether reversing course on permitting wins back frustrated voters, or whether candidates who stay pro-development pay a price. Nationally, 387 of 533 tracked data center permits are now delayed, denied, or under appeal, a sign this fight is shaping local elections well beyond these two states.