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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — U.S. Senate candidates Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley are weighing in on North Carolina’s growing data center debate as a leaked Republican memo warns the issue could become a liability at the ballot box.
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A leaked National Republican Senatorial Committee memo obtained by Axios calls data centers a “sleeper issue” this election cycle, warning voter backlash is threatening Republicans in Ohio’s Senate race and beyond.
That same skepticism is showing up in North Carolina.
A recent Elon University Poll found 53% of North Carolinians oppose locating a data center in their own community, up from 44% in March.
In a radio interview in July, Whatley questioned whether opposition to data centers is organic, while arguing the facilities are needed to keep the U.S. competitive with China on artificial intelligence.
In a statement to CBS 17, Whatley’s campaign spokesperson DJ Griffin said Whatley believes data centers should receive “no special subsidies and no sweetheart deals cut over the heads of taxpayers.”
“Michael Whatley’s standard is simple: data centers pay their own way, families pay nothing, and communities decide,” he said. “That means Big Tech builds or buys every megawatt it needs and covers every dime of the grid upgrades to deliver it, with zero costs shifted onto residential ratepayers.”
Cooper says data center development should come with protections for communities and consumers.
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“Roy believes that local communities must have the authority to decide on new projects coming to their area and data centers must pay for all of the energy they use without passing on any of the costs to consumers,” a Cooper campaign spokesperson said in a statement to CBS 17.
Dozens of communities and counties across North Carolina have enacted temporary moratoriums on new data centers as communities consider concerns including electricity and water demand, noise and land use.
In Raleigh, a developer recently withdrew an annexation request connected to a proposed data center following intense public opposition, just days before it was scheduled to go before the Raleigh City Council. The developer has since said it is still pursuing the project.
North Carolina residents who spoke with CBS 17 Friday were divided.
“It’s going to increase a lot of electricity bills for people,” Raleigh resident Amy Ardis said. “And I don’t think it’s good timing for that, for a lot of us who are struggling.”
Chris D’Arco, who lives outside Zebulon, had a different view.
“Progress is progress,” D’Arco said. “AI is going to be around and we’re going to need data centers. I guess it’s just a matter of how they’re done and how well they’re done.”
CBS 17 has reached out to the NRSC about the leaked memo and whether they see data centers as a potential issue in North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race.
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