Democrats push national data center moratorium after 2026 midterm wins

Democrats are calling for stricter limits on AI and data centers following their 2026 midterm election wins, with progressive lawmakers urging a national moratorium on data center construction. Sen. Bernie Sanders cited voter-approved local restrictions on data centers, writing "National data center moratorium now." Rep. Yassamin Ansari said pausing AI development should be a top priority for the new Democratic House majority. A CNBC Voter Poll found 56% of voters considered AI and data centers a major factor in their ballot decisions, with 65% of those supporting Democratic candidates. AI-related stocks fell sharply after the election, with the iShares Semiconductor ETF dropping nearly 9% and Nvidia declining 8%. Several winning Democrats, including South Carolina Sen. Annie Andrews and Texas Gov. Gina Hinojosa, campaigned against data centers, with Hinojosa pledging a moratorium on approvals. Texas holds 27% of planned data center capacity.