Hostility toward AI data centers is reshaping midterm politics, pushing candidates in both parties to retreat from projects their leaders previously courted. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed Executive Order 2026-05 on Aug. 18, immediately tightening oversight of facilities with peak electricity demand above 25 megawatts, removing them from the state’s Permit Fast Track Program and requiring local approval before state action. The order creates separate review paths for developers that accept or reject the administration’s Responsible Infrastructure Development standards, including requirements related to electricity costs, water consumption and public disclosure. The backlash has spread to Ohio, Texas, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Michigan, New York, Arizona and Illinois as candidates and governors debate moratoriums, tax incentives and local veto authority. The movement could slow America’s race for AI supremacy, while President Trump and major technology companies argue that developers should pay for the power generation, grid upgrades, water and infrastructure their projects require.