Biggest Pro-AI PAC Says Data Center Fight Just Started

Backlash against the nationwide AI data center buildout is threatening to shape the 2026 midterm elections, but the strategists leading one of the biggest pro-AI political groups believe these fights are still in their "early innings," and they're actively working to shape what comes next, according to NBC News's reporting on an in-depth interview with the group's leadership.

Josh Vlasto and Zac Moffatt, the bipartisan strategist team leading the super PAC Leading the Future, addressed data center backlash, AI job-loss skepticism, and the group's broader ambitions directly in the interview. The super PAC, backed by OpenAI co-founder and President Greg Brockman, has roughly $50 million in cash on hand and has formed a dedicated political organization to support state and federal candidates aligned with its data center agenda ahead of November's elections, according to NBC News's separate reporting on the group's activities.

Leading the Future / Build American AI at a Glance

This political battle is genuinely notable for how thoroughly it defies typical partisan alignment. Conservatives have raised concerns about property rights, electricity prices, and local land-use control, while environmental groups and Democrats have focused on water consumption, pollution, and strain on the power grid, according to reporting on the broader phenomenon. Farmers Insurance CEO and philanthropist Tom Steyer's brother, activist Tom Steyer, told CNBC directly: "There is genuinely a techlash, and it's not partisan at all. It doesn't matter if you're liberal or conservative, or you vote for Republicans or Democrats, or what part of the country you live in. It's everywhere." This tension connects directly to the pattern we've tracked closely across multiple jurisdictions, including Alberta's own contentious town halls over Meta's data centre and Sarnia's mayor pushing for proactive planning before any project arrives.

The public relations counter-offensive around data centers has taken some genuinely creative turns. Liquid Death and Garage Beer, the beverage company owned by Jason and Travis Kelce, released a 90-second video pledging to "send your pee to the AI data center of your choice," a satirical campaign addressing public concern over water usage at cooling facilities, according to CNBC's reporting on the ad. Liquid Death's VP of creative Andy Pearson described the origin of the idea directly: "It was an idea of just, hey, what if we used pee to cool data centers instead of water?" That campaign dropped the same day Florida voters headed to gubernatorial primary polls, with leading Republican candidates in that race centering data centers as a core campaign issue.

This isn't purely rhetorical maneuvering with no actual electoral stakes. Leading the Future congratulated Representative Byron Donalds, a Republican and Florida gubernatorial candidate, following his primary win, praising him for understanding "that new, emerging technologies like AI play a key role" in advancing the state's priorities, according to CNBC's reporting. Notably, some elected officials who previously celebrated data center growth are now reversing course under political pressure. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has paused approvals for new large-scale data center loads connecting to the state grid, while Senate nominee Ken Paxton released his own plan calling for tougher rules on the industry, even though both men had previously championed the sector's growth in Texas.

This story is worth understanding for any business planning AI infrastructure investment in the United States over the coming election cycle, since it demonstrates that political risk around data center siting has moved well beyond isolated local disputes into a genuine, well-funded, nationally coordinated political battle with real money and organized opposition on both sides.

For businesses evaluating site selection or partnership opportunities tied to AI infrastructure specifically, this pattern reinforces that state and local political dynamics could shift meaningfully depending on the outcome of the 2026 midterms, and companies should factor genuine electoral uncertainty into long-term infrastructure planning rather than assuming current regulatory postures will remain stable.

What is Leading the Future?
Leading the Future is a bipartisan-led super PAC backed by OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, with roughly $50 million in cash on hand, working to support state and federal candidates aligned with a pro-data-center political agenda ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Why has AI data center backlash become a bipartisan political issue?
Conservatives have focused on concerns including property rights, electricity prices, and local land-use control, while progressives and environmental groups have emphasized water consumption, pollution, and power grid strain, creating opposition that cuts across the traditional political spectrum.

Have any politicians reversed their position on data centers due to this backlash?
Yes. Texas Governor Greg Abbott paused new large-scale data center grid approvals and Senate nominee Ken Paxton proposed tougher industry rules, despite both previously celebrating data center growth in the state.

Leading the Future, a pro-AI super PAC backed by OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman with roughly $50 million in cash on hand, launched a multimillion-dollar ad campaign and political organization to shape the data center debate ahead of the 2026 midterms, with strategists describing the political fight as still in its "early innings." The backlash against AI data centers has become genuinely bipartisan, uniting conservative concerns about property rights and electricity costs with progressive concerns about water usage and grid strain, prompting some previously supportive officials, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott, to reverse course under political pressure. The fight has also drawn unusual public responses, including a satirical ad campaign from Liquid Death addressing data center water consumption concerns.