DCCC pushes for ads targeting GOP on AI, data centers in dozens of key House races

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is pushing for advertising targeting Republican candidates over their record on AI and data centers in dozens of key House races, as technology-related issues take on new significance in the midterm elections.

In a report shared first with The Hill, the Tech Oversight Project noted that House Democrats’ official campaign arm is seeking to put an emphasis on AI and data centers in almost half of the races it is targeting.

Thirty-one out of the DCCC’s 69 “redboxes,” which lay out potential messaging in key races, mention GOP candidates’ prior support for data center tax incentives, as well as investments in and contributions from developers of the controversial AI infrastructure.

“For the first time, the balance of power in Congress will be determined by how voters feel about Big Tech and AI,” Sacha Haworth, executive director of the Tech Oversight Project, said in a statement.

Tech-related issues have not often risen to the forefront of electoral politics. But as Americans are becoming increasingly wary of the push to rapidly build new data centers in support of AI, they have become a bigger target in the upcoming midterms.

The DCCC is highlighting data center talking points in races against Republican incumbents like Reps. Eli Crane (Ariz.), Bill Huizenga (Mich.), Bryan Steil (Wis.) and Mike Lawler (N.Y.).

In Huizenga’s case, they suggest “voters should see aggressive, hard-hitting ads” in the Grand Rapids, Mich., media market about his support for “unleashing data centers across Michigan.”

For Steil, the House Democrats’ campaign arm says “voters district wide, but especially in the Madison media market, need to read mail about how” the congressman has received support from PACs tied to data center developers.

Some Democratic candidates appear to have received the message. Montana House candidate Sam Forstag took aim at his Republican opponent Aaron Flint in an ad targeting his record on both AI and data centers.

“If Democrats take back control of Congress, they need to govern how they campaigned: by putting Big Tech to the sword, investigating them for corruption, and rolling back the handouts and giveaways that Republicans gave them,” Haworth added.