My last post mentioned some of the more extreme cultural stances of Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong. Hong’s defenders complained that the cultural issues were getting far too much exposure, and that pundits should instead be focusing on her main issue: a pause on data center construction.
It’s pretty amazing that a pause on data center construction has become such a consensus, middle-of-the-road issue stance that it’s the thing Hong’s supporters would rather talk about! But it’s true. Poll after poll shows that Americans are decisively opposed to data center construction in their area, and the issue is becoming more lopsided by the day:
An August 2025 survey conducted by Embold Research for Heatmap News…found that 43% of Americans said they would support the construction of a data center near them, while 42% were opposed…The latest survey, conducted last month, found a complete collapse among supporters: Today, just 21% said they support data center construction near them, while 71% are opposed — including 55% who say they are strongly opposed…
A Gallup poll released in May showed the share of Americans who oppose the construction of data centers in their area, 71%, was higher than the zenith of the opposition to the construction of nuclear power plants, which topped out at 63% in 2001…A survey from Marquette Law School found 71% of voters nationwide said the costs of data centers outweigh the benefits, while 29% said the reverse. Voters said the development of AI is a bad thing for society, rather than a good thing, by a 65%-35% margin…A YouGov poll taken for The Economist found just 23% of voters who said the construction of data centers are good for the country, while 48% said they are bad for the country. That same poll found 60% opposed to building a new data center in their community.
The opposition is incredibly bipartisan, with both Republicans and Democrats lining up to block data center construction. New York put a moratorium on data center construction in July, while
