Gretchen Whitmer faces criticism from Michigan Democratic voters for supporting a controversial $16bn datacenter project in Saline Township.
Gretchen Whitmer is facing a potential political backlash in Michigan after expressing active support for a massive $16bn datacenter being built by OpenAI and Oracle. While the Democratic governor has championed the project, many of her constituents expressed frustration over the energy-intensive facility. A recent national poll revealed that Democratic voters oppose datacenters by a margin of 17% compared to Republicans. In Michigan, the sentiment is particularly sharp; a survey found that 64% of Democrats opposed having a datacenter within 25 miles of their home. Local resident Sarah Brabbs expressed "rage and sadness" over the project, noting that the administration of the local leadership seems to have disregarded voter concerns regarding rising utility costs and environmental impacts. While some Democratic leaders, such as Tony Evers in Wisconsin, have embraced these "modern marvels," others are calling for a moratorium. The disconnect between party leadership and the grassroots suggests that the heavy use of corporate incentives may be alienating the Democratic base in key battleground states.