Midterm voters reject pro-AI candidates and data centers

Voters in Tuesday's midterm elections delivered a decisive rebuke of pro-AI candidates and policies, approving over 40 measures to slow or ban data center growth amid widespread bipartisan concern over artificial intelligence. Exit polls showed 65 percent of Democrats and 39 percent of Republicans cited AI and data centers as crucial factors in their Congressional votes. Candidates advocating AI regulation, including Michigan senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed and South Carolina senator-elect Dr. Annie Andrews, defeated Republican competitors who championed AI, with experts calling the results a clear demand for stronger guardrails. The backlash follows months of mounting tensions, including Google's refusal to disable AI search for schools, lawsuits over AI chatbot harms, and state-level regulations like New York's recent chatbot legislation. Democratic victors, including governors in Ohio, Texas, and Georgia, have pledged to pursue data center accountability and AI safety measures.