The high demand for AI across the country has caused an even higher demand for technology companies to continue building data centers just to keep up with the need for tech, but a recent public opinion poll shows that the overwhelming majority of Americans oppose data centers, especially in Florida.
In Florida, opposition to data centers appears to have reached a fever pitch. Governor Ron DeSantis has been the tip of the spear in opposing the data centers, citing increased utility costs to residents and a threat to the state's natural resources.
“Today in Lakeland, I signed legislation to protect our citizens and communities from hyperscale data centers. These are much-needed protections for taxpayers and our natural resources,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “SB 484 ensures that local governments maintain the authority to reject data center development in their communities, prevents data center costs from being passed on to consumers, including electricity costs, and protects Florida’s water resources from data center consumption.”
The data center issue is now one of the front-burner political issues in the 2026 midterm elections.
During a recent forum or debate between the seven Republican congressional candidates running in Florida's 22nd District, the issue of data centers came up. While all of the candidates objected to having these tech centers in urban areas, they all agreed that they are a necessity to stay competitive with the likes of China.
The candidates—Belinda Keiser, Terri Hasdorff, David Burck, Casey Askar, Rich Evans, Michael Thompson, and Michael Carbonara- all support the need to stay competitive, just as long as it is not in our backyards.
Former Police officer and Marine veteran Burck did not say that he opposed the centers; he said that he would like to see a "nuanced" approach to dealing with the tech hubs in order to stay competitive in the global arena.
Askar was pretty direct in how he feels about data centers. "Keep them out of Florida," said Askar, who added that the U.S. did need to stay competitive. Thompson and Keiser both echoed Askar's sentiment, with Thompson taking a strong anti-data center position.
Carbonara, however, was not as dismissive of the centers as the others. By his own admission, Carbonara was in the data center business.
"I actually built data centers. I've done it before; it is not a black-and-white issue. Every deal is negotiated, the zoning, the water, the electricity," said Carbonara. "We don't want it in our neighborhood, near our houses. We want it someplace where we can't see it."
The tech magnet also asserted that Americans need to embrace AI, but warned that they must protect children from online predation through devices like cell phones and tablets.
Could voters, who oppose the construction of these data centers, see Carbonara as the 'Data Center Dude?"
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