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Abdul El‑Sayed brought Bernie Sanders and AOC to a Lansing rally where all three…

2026-07-21 · 00:48 UTC ·@jasminewsun ·1 min read

Brief

Jasmine Sun's data center road trip (days 4–5) documents a bipartisan grassroots backlash to AI/data-center buildouts across Michigan and Wisconsin: in Lansing Abdul El‑Sayed rallied with Bernie Sanders and AOC to denounce an 'AI oligarchy,' DSA-backed Francesca Hong leads the WI governor primary supporting a moratorium, and a MI7 canvasser said 90% of doors named data centers as a top issue.

Why it matters

Abdul El‑Sayed brought Bernie Sanders and AOC to a Lansing rally where all three publicly decried an AI oligarchy; Bernie delivered the longest speech.

Key details

  • In Wisconsin, DSA member Francesca Hong is leading the Democratic governor primary and is the only candidate publicly backing a data-center moratorium to woo rural conservative voters.
  • A canvasser for Will Lawrence in Michigan's 7th district reported 90% of doors cited data centers as a top issue; pollsters find Democrats and Republicans equally skeptical, with locals saying 'nobody wants them.'
Source evidence

data center road trip // day 4-5

the AI backlash is bipartisan & showing up in politics in a big way

  • Abdul El-Sayed brought Bernie and AOC to rally with him in Lansing. all 3 decried AI oligarchy (Bernie with the longest spiel)

  • in WI, DSA member Francesca Hong is leading the Dem governor’s primary. she hopes to win rural conservatives as the only candidate backing a data center moratorium

  • a canvasser for Will Lawrence in MI7 told me that 90% of the doors she knocked on Saturday named data centers as a top issue

these are purple battleground states, yet pollsters are finding Dems and Reps are equally skeptical of the AI buildout. “nobody wants them” is what I heard over and over

jasmine sun (@jasminewsun)

I’m spending the next week driving around Wisconsin and Michigan to get a firsthand view of the data center buildout and backlash

am visiting sites, talking to tons of people — tradespeople, activists, planners, residents — then writing up a story

lmk what questions I should dig into!

— https://nitter.net/jasminewsun/status/2077519592130253200#m