Moderates Hope to Stop Socialist Francesca Hong

Take the open question of data centers. Wisconsin’s cooler climate and hardened infrastructure make it an attractive location for the A.I. hubs. But it’s a clunker with the public, especially among Democrats. Marquette Law School’s polling has been instructive for candidates in the region. Among Wisconsin Democrats, the notion that the costs outweigh the benefits of data centers has grown from 56% in October of last year to 88% last month. Among all voters in Wisconsin, that shift has been from 55% to 76%. 

Hong, recognizing the potency of the issue, has called for a statewide moratorium on data centers, branding her policy “Control-Alt-Delete.” That position may be the key to her surprising strength heading into Election Day. 

Crowley’s position, meanwhile, is less restrictive but still skeptical.

“All data centers are not all created equal,” Crowley says. “Our job is to make sure that these data centers are paying their way, that they’re paying for the full energy costs, that they’re paying for the infrastructure and grid upgrades. Heck, I think that they should be subsidizing our energy users across the entire state.”