Republican data center support collapses locally when sites are in GOP counties

A recent investigation found that local support for Republican data centers is collapsing when they are located in counties that voted for the GOP in the 2020 presidential election. The data centers, which are critical infrastructure for internet services, are often supported by local governments with tax incentives and other benefits. However, in counties that voted for Donald Trump, local support for the data centers has been declining. This trend is evident in counties in states such as Arizona, Texas, and Georgia. The investigation found that 94% of data center projects in counties that voted for Trump were abandoned or cancelled between 2020 and 2022, compared to 34% in counties that voted for Joe Biden. The decline in support is attributed to a combination of factors, including growing concerns about the environmental and social impacts of data centers, as well as the perception that the facilities are not providing sufficient economic benefits to local communities.