Why are data centres a midterm election issue in Ohio, according to Rory Stewart?

Rory Stewart says Republicans and Democrats in Ohio now attack each other for having backed data centres, which were welcome a few years ago and are now toxic. At a site in Wilmington, Ohio, he saw a new estate of $400,000 homes about to sit beside an Amazon facility, because data centres go where substations and sewerage are, which often means next to houses and schools.

• The opposition draws odd coalitions, including a former tech worker who works as a professional Santa Claus.
• Stewart notes one neighbouring resident was in favour of the data centre.

▸In their words

“the farmers just sold the field for $88 million to Amazon.” Rory Stewart · at 39:18 — open in the transcript →

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on The Rest Is Politics (2026-10-30). Read the whole episode summary →

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