Why are data centers a 2026 midterm issue, according to Kristen Soltis Anderson and Dave Wasserman?

Kristen Soltis Anderson sees corruption rising just behind affordability in her polling, and says data centers work as a proxy for both energy costs and insiders getting special deals. Dave Wasserman points to Iowa, where Republican Zach Lahn won his governor primary backing a data center moratorium, against the Trump administration's position. Wasserman expects the issue to become a litmus test for Democrats in 2028.

• Terrence Woodbury says young voters now name corporations and special interests as the top cause of their pain, ahead of Trump or either party.
• Lahn trails Democrat Rob Sand, while Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson runs stronger by presenting herself as bipartisan.

▸In their words

“Concern about corruption as the sort of issue 1B to affordability's 1A.” Kristen Soltis Anderson · at 47:22 — open in the transcript →

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on Pivot (2026-10-25). Read the whole episode summary →

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