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Numerous communities nationwide are fiercely opposed to the projects, leading to legal battles over planned complexes and new transmission lines
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Democrat Paige Cognetti is launching a direct challenge to artificial intelligence data centers in a new TV ad, declaring "we are not for sale" in a critical Pennsylvania congressional district.
The contest between Cognetti, who serves as Scranton's mayor, and freshman Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan is viewed as a prime opportunity for the Democratic Party to secure a seat in the November election. This gain would bolster their efforts to reclaim control of the U.S. House and impede President Donald Trump 's agenda.
Cognetti's ad airs in a region significantly impacted by proposed AI data center developments, reflecting a national trend where opposition to these facilities is now influencing high-stakes political races.
Speaking directly to the camera, Cognetti draws parallels to the region's industrial past, stating, "Big companies have come before, taken what they wanted and left us with their mess to clean up. Now it’s data centers."
She criticizes the common practices of developers, including the secrecy often used to obscure project details, the tax incentives frequently granted by states, and the escalating electricity costs in the mid-Atlantic region, driven by the immense energy demands of data centers.
Cognetti asserts, "Big Tech needs to pay their own way. Not hide behind NDAs. No tax breaks. Don’t raise our electric bills, don’t poison our water. And hire local, union labor."
If not, “then get out,” she says. “This is our home. We are not for sale.”
While President Donald Trump has prioritized data centers to advance U.S. AI competitiveness against China, numerous communities nationwide, including those in northeastern Pennsylvania, have fiercely opposed these projects, leading to legal battles over planned complexes and new transmission lines.
Cognetti's campaign confirmed the 30-second ad's initial two-week run across broadcast, cable, and digital platforms will cost approximately $200,000.
Bresnahan, meanwhile, has introduced legislation called the Local Control Protection Act, which he says would put limits on a corporation's right to sue over local zoning decisions denying an application to build a data center.
“We should never let billion-dollar corporations supersede the voices of those who live in the community,” Bresnahan said in a statement accompanying the bill's introduction in June.
The bill has yet to move out of committee or gain a cosponsor.
Republicans have made protecting Bresnahan a high priority. Both Trump and Vice President JD Vance visited the district last year.
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