Following the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, data center construction could emerge as the next major flashpoint between American politics and the tech industry. With Democrats seizing control of both chambers of Congress while Republicans retain the White House, policy disagreements over artificial intelligence infrastructure are likely to deepen. The elections made one thing clear: grievances over data centers—their power consumption, environmental impact, rising electricity costs, and the lack of community say in siting decisions—have grown from scattered local protests into a nationwide political force.