Data Center Diehard Making Trouble For Wisconsin Democrats

Democrat Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate David Crowley faces a potential political vulnerability over his position on data centers.

Crowley defeated Democratic Socialist Francesca Hong in Tuesday’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, but his support for data center development has already drawn criticism from progressives.

During an appearance on Newsradio 620 WTMJ’s Overtime series, Crowley said communities should “look at the possible opportunity of us getting a piece of” the data center boom, prompting criticism from others on the left.

Francesca Hong's opponent, David Crowley, says of data centers that we have to "look at the possible opportunity of us getting a piece of it." pic.twitter.com/NlxRGOjHys

Crowley’s support for the data center industry predates his gubernatorial campaign. In May 2024, then-Milwaukee County Executive Crowley was pictured greeting President Joe Biden during his visit to Milwaukee, where the president announced Microsoft’s $3.3 billion investment to build one of the nation’s most powerful data centers in Wisconsin. (RELATED: As The Demand For Power To Fuel AI Explodes In US, One State Is Bucking The Trend)

That history now intersects with Crowley’s growing political and financial ties to labor organizations interested in Wisconsin’s data center construction boom.

Crowley’s come-from-behind primary victory was backed and funded by several unions connected to the construction industry. The Northern Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters endorsed Crowley and, through its political arm, the NM Carpenters PAC, has lobbied for state legislation that would support data center development. Operating Engineers Local 139 endorsed him while also publicly supporting Microsoft’s data center project, according to the Daily Reporter.

He secured additional endorsements from the Wisconsin Laborers’ District Council and the IBEW Wisconsin State Conference — both members of the Wisconsin Building Trades Council (WBTC).

In his most recent campaign finance filing, Crowley reported receiving the maximum $86,000 contribution from the two aforementioned groups. He also received $84,000 from Operating Engineers Local 139, $81,000 from the Wisconsin Pipe Trades Association, and $20,000 from the Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin.

The WBTC itself has ties to Wisconsin’s data center industry. The council partnered with Vantage Data Centers to build a data center in Port Washington, according to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report.

That project faced significant local opposition, contributed to the recall of local officials, and ultimately became tied to what Politico described as the nation’s first anti-data-center referendum.

The result is a potentially complicated political dynamic for Crowley: He is seeking to tout the economic opportunities associated with data centers while facing criticism from those who oppose their expansion — all while receiving substantial support from labor organizations that stand to benefit from their construction. (RELATED: The Data Center Conversation America Needs To Have)

That tension could make data centers a particularly consequential issue in the general election. The New York Times highlighted Francesca Hong’s opposition to data centers as part of her appeal to some Republican voters, while polling suggests the issue resonates beyond the Democratic base.

A February Marquette Law School poll found that 70% of Wisconsin residents, including 55% of Republicans, believe the costs of data centers outweigh their benefits.(RELATED: Data Center Boom Sparks Battle Over Power Costs, New Regulations)

Hong took an even more aggressive stance; she was the only Democrat candidate at a recent forum to support a one-year moratorium on new data center construction.

She dubbed the proposal “Control-Alt-Delete,” arguing that a pause would give the state time to address concerns over data centers’ demands on land, water, and electricity, as well as the tax incentives offered to developers.