Data centers are now a midterm issue, even in Brooklyn

At a Newsreel-hosted midterm event in a Brooklyn warehouse, a panel on data centers drew boos when the moderator asked who was pro-AI data center, and the topic dominated nearly every conversation. A Data Center Watch report cited in the piece found almost $200 billion in data center projects were delayed, stalled, or blocked in the first half of 2026 due to political and community opposition, while states including Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, New York, and Virginia weigh more guardrails. Newsreel founder Jack Brewster said AI has become an election issue for regular voters, with backlash in rural communities about feeling replaced and in Brooklyn more about who gets rich from it.