Sherrod Brown, the former Democratic senator from Ohio who is running to reclaim a Senate seat, is drawing attention for a shift in his public stance on data centers. Records show that in 2015, Brown issued a press release celebrating Amazon's expansion in central Ohio. Now, more than a decade later, he is running a campaign that targets data centers as a cause of rising electricity costs for Ohio residents.
According to Fox News, Brown's 2015 statement was unambiguous in its support. "This new data center is great news for New Albany and central Ohio. Amazon's growth in central Ohio signals that this region is not only a great place to do business, but a place where people want to live and raise a family," Brown said at the time.
His current campaign message takes a sharply different tone. In a recent campaign video, Brown said: "Ohio's electric grid — big corporations treat it like a game." He continued: "[They're] gobbling up energy to feed their data centers no matter how much it raises our prices. It's the latest way they've rigged the system."
Brown lost his Senate seat in 2024 to Republican Bernie Moreno. He is now running against incumbent Jon Husted for Ohio's other Senate seat. Husted was appointed by Governor Mike DeWine to fill the seat vacated when J.D. Vance became vice president. Husted has not yet won a full term.
Ohio now has 226 data centers, according to Fox News. The state has been an attractive location for technology companies in part because of tax incentives passed by the state legislature in 2013. That law created exemptions on the sale, storage, and use of computer data center equipment. The Ohio Tax Credit Authority has the power to approve exemptions for companies investing more than $100 million over three consecutive years.
Brown's position aligns with a broader trend among Democratic candidates in the 2026 midterms. Many have focused their campaigns on the cost of everyday items including food, fuel, and housing, tying their arguments to what they describe as unfulfilled promises from President Donald Trump. Data centers have become part of that affordability argument for a growing number of Democrats, who contend that the facilities use large amounts of water and electricity while shifting costs to local communities and ratepayers.
Debates remain about whether data center consumption has meaningfully raised utility rates in local communities, and whether companies should bear those costs directly. Brown has said he would push for legislation to address the issue. "I'll require the data centers to pay the full cost of their own electricity — not you," he said.
The Ohio Senate race is considered competitive. A Fox News poll found Democratic unity and Republican crossovers are both factors shaping the contest heading into the November 2026 midterm elections.
