Pennsylvania Candidates Clash Over Data Center Impact Ahead of November Election
Candidates for state legislative and senatorial seats in Pennsylvania are campaigning on infrastructure costs and the economic impact of hyperscale data centers.
Candidates across several Pennsylvania districts are centering their November 3 election campaigns on the economic and infrastructure impacts of hyperscale data centers. In the 44th Senatorial District, Democratic incumbent Katie Muth and Republican challenger Melissa Dicranian both agree that developers should pay for their own infrastructure to protect residential ratepayers, though Muth is pushing for a three-year statewide moratorium on new developments.
In the 24th Senatorial District, Republican incumbent Tracy Pennycuick supports municipal moratoriums and an accountability package, while Democratic candidate Chris Thomas proposes a "No Blank Check for Big Tech" plan. Green Party candidate Mike Schonewolf has called for the closure of existing data centers and a minimum wage increase to $25 per hour.
Meanwhile, the race for the 130th Legislative District features Democrat Erik Bonnett and Republican Melissa Brewer. Bonnett is advocating for increased transparency regarding data center impacts on local infrastructure, while Brewer is focusing on utility deregulation and incentivizing local farming. Across these races, candidates have emphasized the need for respectful political discourse and the rule of law to combat political violence.
