Will Lawrence, a cofounder of the Sunrise Movement, is running for Michigan's 7th Congressional District (MI-07) on a platform centered on a 12-month moratorium on data centers. The surge of large facilities tied to the AI boom has become a flashpoint in a competitive swing district.
Michigan's 7th District · Democratic Primary Aug 4, 2026
The Data Center Backlash Becomes a Campaign Platform
Sunrise Movement co-founder Will Lawrence is running for Congress in a Michigan swing district on a single sharp pledge: a 12-month federal moratorium on new data center construction — turning the AI compute boom into an election-year fight.
12
months — proposed federal moratorium on new data centers
11
planned data center projects across Michigan
3
hyperscale AI facilities proposed inside MI-7 (one rejected)
5,700+
petition signatures for a moratorium in Lawrence County, TN
US Data Center Power Use Is Climbing Fast
Total annual electricity, terawatt-hours (TWh). 2028 shown at the high end of forecast range.
176 TWh
2023≈4.4% of US power
→
up to 580 TWh
2028 forecast6.7–12.0% of US power
AI-specific servers alone: 53–76 TWh (2024) → 165–326 TWh (2028) . A single proposed Saline Township facility would draw 1,400 MW .
Primary Voters Lean Toward Opposition
Share of Democratic primary voters "much more supportive" of a candidate opposing data centers.
The Moratorium Case
Backers say Lawrence can't be bought by Big Tech, and point to strains on power, water, and electricity bills. The push echoes a national moratorium bill from Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez, with Sunrise and Sanders endorsements behind him.
The Development Case
Developers and figures such as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — who attended an Oracle data center opening — stress local jobs and investment, setting up an ongoing clash over economic benefit versus environmental and rate burdens.
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