Could data center backlash flip Florida?
Patti Zirhut, a lifelong Republican, has been studying her ballot for weeks. Zirhut eagerly voted for President Donald Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024, but she isn't toeing the party line this year. "My ballot is all mixed up," she says. She's voting for some Republicans, some independents, and even a few Democrats. Zirhut remains undecided on a few races, but of one thing she is absolutely certain: "I will not vote…
Key points
- Data center opposition is reshaping Florida's governor race between Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly.
- Jolly promises a one-year moratorium on data centers; Donalds has welcomed the tech industry.
- A University of North Florida poll put Jolly two points behind Donalds, within the margin of error.
Opposition to data centers has become a central issue in Florida's governor race, where Republican nominee Byron Donalds faces Democrat David Jolly, a former Republican who left the party in 2018. Donalds, who has Trump's endorsement and $148 million in campaign funds, much of it from the tech industry, has been a vocal supporter of the developments. Jolly has promised a one-year moratorium on data center projects.
The race is closer than expected. A recent University of North Florida survey put Jolly two points behind Donalds, within the 2.8 percent margin of error. Jolly has raised $22 million, and Florida now has nearly 2 million more registered Republicans than Democrats.
Voters turning away
Patti Zirhut, a lifelong Republican who voted for Trump in 2016, 2020 and 2024, said she will not vote for Donalds and is considering Jolly. She is an organizer with No Data Center Hernando County. Raul Alfonso, chair of Watchdogs of Fort Meade, said many "deep-red individuals" are looking to support candidates who take residents' concerns seriously.
Jolly told The Verge that data center opposition "is more intense among Republicans than it is among Democrats." Donalds has since moderated his stance, saying local governments have the final say on whether a community gets a data center.
There ain’t no bans coming
— Byron Donalds
Money and the economy
Donalds has received $5 million from Leading the Future, a pro-AI super PAC whose funders include executives of OpenAI, Palantir and Andreessen Horowitz. Jolly said the mass opposition reflects broader worries about work, wages, security and privacy. Polls show the cost of living is the top issue for Florida voters.
