Meta President Warns of Tougher Data Center Builds After US Elections

Meta Platforms president Dina Powell McCormick said on November 4, 2026, that building data centers would become more difficult following the U.S. midterm elections, though perhaps less than initially appeared, according to The Wall Street Journal. Her assessment came after voters approved at least 44 of 47 proposed measures restricting data centers, with some results still pending, CBS News reported on November 6. Powell McCormick noted opposition featured prominently in campaign ads and exit polls, contributing to Democratic victories. Texas governor-elect Gina Hinojosa and Georgia governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms both plan to pause new data center construction. Texas has 169 operational centers, 118 under construction, and over 500 planned, representing 25-30% of expected U.S. capacity by 2030.