Data Centers Divide Ohio Voters | Cleveland News

In Ohio’s 9th District, a fierce political showdown is heating up over data centers—where incumbent Democrat Marcy Kaptur warns they drain local resources and should be paid for by companies, not taxpayers, while Republican challenger Derek Merrin, who once backed data center tax breaks, remains silent on his current position. With $2.5 billion in state incentives already handed out since 2017—and campaign cash from major beneficiaries like AEP and Windstream—the debate has exploded statewide, even drawing in gubernatorial candidates proposing moratoriums or tax cuts. No legislation has passed yet, but a grassroots ballot initiative could ban new centers by 2027, revealing just how deeply divided Ohio is on this booming—but controversial—industry. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/0917574b57e1b31e