Mike Rogers on push for data center pause: ‘Let’s get these questions answered’

Former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) is calling for a one-year moratorium on data center construction until Michiganders can “get their questions answered” about such projects.

The Republican, who is running in Michigan’s closely watched Senate race , cited his conversations with voters on the campaign trail about the issue in an interview with NewsNation’s Katie Pavlich.

“There is so much concern out there with Michigan citizens,” the former lawmaker, who is backed by President Trump, said. “My argument is that we need to walk through those issues before we just throw these things out.”

The Republican also took a shot at his opponent , Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, saying the progressive “wants to send [the issue] to Washington, D.C., to make the decisions on it.”

“I think that’s a terrible idea,” he continued. “The people who need to make these decisions live in these communities.”

El-Sayed, who is currently leading his GOP opponent in the polls, has proposed several “terms of engagement” for data centers operating in the state on his campaign website .

These rules include restricting energy rate hikes related to data center operations, requiring community input on new projects, ensuring job creation and implementing closed-loop cooling systems to cut down on water pollution.

The pair will face off in the November election to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.). The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election forecaster, rates the contest as a “toss-up.”

Data centers have become a hot topic on campaign trails across the country. Proponents for these projects argue they create jobs and promote AI development, while critics point to their negative impacts on the environment and energy rates.

Earlier this month , Trump criticized Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) decision to impose a moratorium on new data centers in the state.

“I’m not taking positions,” the president told Punchbowl News. “I just think it’s a mistake because there are other communities that want it. When a community wants it, it means a lot of money is going to come into that community.”