Data Centers Surge Into Midterm Spotlight at Brooklyn Election Event
A Brooklyn gathering of media, tech, and policy figures turned into a heated forum on AI‑driven data centers and their political fallout.
Setting the Stage in Brooklyn
On Thursday evening I arrived in neon yellow heels and a floral mini dress for a midterm election event held in a dimly blue‑lit Brooklyn warehouse. The venue, organized by Newsreel—a media company founded by former Forbes and Newsweek reporter Jack Brewster—was already filling with a mix of media types, techies, and policy advocates.
Brewster explained that the goal was for attendees to “put their phones away and talk to each other about the election, five days out.”
AI and Data Centers Dominate Conversation
Despite the event’s broader election focus, discussions quickly centered on artificial intelligence, data centers, and the backlash against a growing technocracy.
A recent Data Center Watch report found that almost $200 billion in data‑center projects were delayed, stalled, or blocked in the first half of 2026 because of political and community opposition. States such as Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, New York, and Virginia are considering additional guardrails and transparency measures, and Virginia alone has hundreds of new data‑center plans, reinforcing its nickname as the “data center capital of the world.”
Chi Ossé’s Fireside Chat
Before my panel, New York City Council member Chi Ossé spoke in a fireside chat. He said he does not really use AI and positioned himself as a “law and order” democratic socialist. Ossé emphasized the need for tech executives to be held accountable and suggested that trillionaires like Elon Musk should face higher taxes. He argued that CEOs discussing technologies that could “deplete 10% of human civilization” should be called to testify before Congress.
Panel on Data Centers
When I took the stage to moderate a panel with technology‑and‑human‑rights researcher Maia Woluchem and environmental‑and‑public‑health advocate Hilary Flint, I asked the audience, “Who here is pro‑AI data center?” The question was met with boos.
The discussion revealed community frustration over big‑tech companies allegedly cutting secret deals with local officials to build billion‑dollar data centers, sometimes under ambiguous zoning rules that hide the projects until they are too far along to protest.
Panelists noted that residents are juggling cost‑of‑living pressures while hearing tech leaders talk about AI replacing workers or even humanity. Flint asked, “What is a life worth?” and pointed out that protests persist because people “value their lives a little bit more than a temporary check.”
After‑Hours Talk on Labor and the American Dream
The subsequent panel featured NewsNation host Batya Ungar‑Sargon, political strategist Morris Katz (who worked on Zohran Mamdani’s campaign), and Vox reporter Astead Herndon. Although the agenda was the future of the Democratic Party, the conversation again shifted to data centers.
Ungar‑Sargon observed that some labor unions support data centers for the jobs they promise, while also noting that many of those jobs disappear once construction ends. She recalled Rust Belt pride in “ugly, enormous buildings” that once symbolized prosperity and stability for families.
Herndon referenced Vivek Ramaswamy being booed in Ohio for a similar point, emphasizing a “lack of consent” among Republicans in those areas. Katz added that the same institutional powers that have taken union jobs away are now returning to “essentially finish the job and take whatever scraps remain.”
Community Voices on the Walls
Sticky notes plastered the warehouse walls answered posted questions such as “Will we ever be able to get Big Money out of politics?” One note replied, “God, I hope so.”
Closing Moments
When the panel ended, attendees rushed the bar, techno music blared, and small groups reconvened to continue debating AI and data centers in more private conversations.
Jack Brewster was asked whether he was surprised by the focus on AI and data centers, but his response was not recorded in the account.
The evening underscored how data‑center projects have become a flashpoint for voters, activists, and policymakers as the November 3 midterms approach.
