VALDOSTA, GA — The proliferation of data centers across Georgia has emerged as a significant campaign issue ahead of the November elections, drawing criticism from communities and intertwining with the financial interests of candidates for top state offices. Georgia has quickly become the leading state for data centers, a development Gov. Brian Kemp, who is term-limited and leaving office, has welcomed, citing the need for the U.S. to compete with China in artificial intelligence development.
However, this expansion has been met with widespread concern. State lawmakers attempted to address the issue with a flurry of legislative proposals during the 2026 session, but none of these bills passed. Now, voters will decide the state's future approach to these energy-hungry facilities by choosing a new governor and legislators who will shape related policies.
At the forefront of the gubernatorial race, Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms has criticized Republican nominee Rick Jackson for his investment in a data center project in Texas. Jackson, a wealthy healthcare executive, was the head of Datahub Developers, the company advancing the Texas facility, until recently, according to his campaign financial disclosure. Bottoms stated during a debate organized by Atlanta News First and Gray Media that "if he is an investor in data centers, if he builds data centers, he cannot be trusted on this."
Jackson, in turn, accused Bottoms of approving three data centers during her tenure as mayor of Atlanta. Bottoms countered, stating she was "not sure what data centers he’s referencing," acknowledging only one at Georgia Tech, which she clarified was not one of the current large-scale "hyperscale data centers that cause concerns today."
Beyond the gubernatorial contest, the issue has also affected the race for state attorney general. Georgia state Sen. Brian Strickland, a McDonough Republican running for attorney general, held a personal financial stake in a proposed $1.2 billion data center as recently as summer 2025. Public records show Strickland, a lawyer, holds a greater-than-5% stake in Strickland Road Farms, a co-applicant in a rezoning application for a 1.25 million-square-feet data center on his family’s farmland in Henry County. He authorized a real estate development firm to pursue rezoning for the project on May 15, 2024.
Democratic nominee for attorney general, state Rep. Tanya Miller, pressed Strickland on this project at a recent Atlanta Press Club debate. Miller asserted that the agenda item for the data center was removed from a public hearing "days – and mind you, we’re talking days – after he announced his run for attorney general," suggesting he is "playing with words."
The proposed Henry County project, located on Strickland’s family farmland, came close to being finalized in mid-2025. However, Strickland told reporters last week that his family has since backed out, citing concerns about noise, and now considers the project "dead." He stated his parents were the closest neighbors and had concerns about noise potentially compromising their quality of life, ultimately deciding to keep the entire farm intact. Strickland maintains that this decision was not related to his campaign for higher office, and his family now plans to add to an existing residence on the property.
Opponents of the project, including Connie Snow, a member of Conserve Henry County, remain skeptical. Snow expressed worry that the project could be revived after the November election, noting that "all this happened coincidentally enough as it was getting close to election time." County and local development officials have confirmed the project is currently inactive. Carlotta Harrell, chair of the Henry County Board of Commissioners, confirmed that the rezoning agenda item for the project was removed from a June 17, 2025, meeting at the applicant's request.
The Henry County data center proposal also raised environmental concerns during a regional review. Officials from the nearby city of Hampton stated that potential hazardous materials at the site could threaten the Towaliga River and Indian Creek watersheds, risking contamination of drinking water. The Atlanta Regional Commission concluded in its review that the data center project did not align with its planning policy for Atlanta’s developing suburbs. The commission suggested mitigation strategies such as using undeveloped stream areas as buffers and providing a fund to support conservation land acquisition elsewhere in Henry County.
Strickland explained in an earlier interview that his involvement began when developers approached his father about commercial development on the family land. As the only attorney in the family, he became directly involved to help with discussions and contract evaluation. He also noted that developers had purchased another nearby parcel not owned by his family, though its status is unclear. This parcel is owned by 0 Rocky Creek Road, LLC, headed by Aaron Wolofsky, who also authorized the same development firm to pursue rezoning.
A review of financial disclosure documents for all statewide candidates by the Georgia Recorder, along with interviews and public records, indicated that all candidates, except those mentioned, reported no direct financial interest in data center projects.
