Anthropic-backed super PAC spends $1.6M in primary race divided over datacenters

10 hours ago

North Carolina congressional primary highlights datacenter politics with a rematch between Congresswoman Valerie Foushee and progressive challenger Nida Allam.
Allam opposes a proposed massive datacenter in the district and supports a federal moratorium, while Foushee believes decisions should be left to local leaders.
Super Pac 'Jobs and Democracy,' funded by AI firm Anthropic, has spent $1.6 million supporting Foushee, raising concerns about big tech influence in politics.
The proposed datacenter in Apex faces opposition over environmental concerns, including water and energy use, and potential emissions.
Allam advocates for a 10-year national moratorium on datacenters to establish regulations on water recycling and clean energy use.
Foushee, appointed to a bipartisan AI commission, calls for federal datacenter regulations but emphasizes local decision-making authority.
Critics argue Foushee's acceptance of tech-linked Super Pac funding undermines her stance on regulating big tech.
The Apex datacenter could consume significant resources, including 1 million gallons of water daily and 300 megawatts of electricity, raising local concerns.
Both candidates express concerns about environmental and economic impacts but differ on the role of federal versus local oversight.

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