Democrats Protest Byron Donalds Over AI Data Center Funding

Democratic candidates and environmental advocates held a press conference on October 18, 2026, outside the Cape Coral office of Byron Donalds to denounce his campaign contributions from energy and construction firms linked to data centers. The protesters targeted Donalds' gubernatorial bid, accusing him of being beholden to AI mega donors and claiming he would allow data centers to bypass local land-use regulations if elected governor.

Speakers including Victor Arias, Phillip Carter, and Judy Freiberg warned that the proliferation of artificial intelligence data centers threatens Florida's water quality, electricity costs, and pristine land. They specifically highlighted the risk to human habitats and the finite nature of water resources. Major contributors to the Donalds campaign identified during the event include Duke Energy, Nextera Energy Capital Holdings LLC, Ferrira Construction Company, and Teco Holdings.

The event served as a platform to promote Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly, who has pledged to implement a moratorium on hyperscale data centers on his first day in office. Representative Donalds did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the allegations or his campaign funding.