Ohio Senate Candidates Clash Over Data Center Subsidies

U.S. Senate candidates in Ohio are revising their stances on data center development as the election nears. Sherrod Brown has launched attack ads accusing his opponent of facilitating hundreds of new data centers and pushing for $2.5 billion in tax subsidies. While Brown supported investments from Amazon Web Services ten years ago, he is now critical of the industry's impact on the state.

Republican nominee Jon Husted previously championed statewide sales and use tax breaks for new construction but now argues these incentives should no longer be awarded. Husted stated that data center companies have "earned that backlash" due to a failure to communicate their value or assist local communities with energy costs.

Despite his shift on subsidies, Husted maintains that the federal government should not regulate the industry. He argues that while the state government has a role, local governments and residents should be the ones to make those choices.