Data Centers, Tariffs, and Affordability: The Issues Driving Races in Ohio and Maine

As rising data center energy demands drive up utility costs nationwide, energy affordability has emerged as a key midterm issue–especially in Ohio. Republican-led legislation intended to prevent Big Tech companies from shifting infrastructure costs to consumers was blocked by Senate Democrats, who argued the bill was ineffective. Ohio Republican Senator Jon Husted joins the Rundown to discuss his Ratepayer Protection Act, the political battle over data centers, and how affordability concerns are influencing voters ahead of Election Day–especially in his own tight election race.

Plus, Colby College political science professors Nick Jacobs and Daniel Shea break down the fiercely contested Maine Senate race between Republican Susan Collins and Democrat Troy Jackson. Fresh off the candidates’ recent debates, they analyze how rising heating oil prices, tariffs, and wider cost-of-living struggles are weighing on voters.

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