The legal challenges against U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-Auburn) run for Alabama governor are now tabled, so Alabamians can now get into the meat and potatoes of the race, kicking the tires on Tuberville and Democrat candidate and former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones.
While many consider Tuberville’s election to the state’s executive office a foregone conclusion, there is still an outside chance that Jones could get an edge in this race. The battle over AI data centers is one of those chances, and it would behoove Tuberville to moderate his tone on them, as many Alabamians don’t want their state peppered with them at the expense of the environment, infrastructure, a glut of humans, and increased traffic.
The Alabama communities fighting hard against the footprint and furtherance of data centers highlight three problems:
- Lack of honesty. The developers and community leaders pushing for data centers said they would be one thing, but they ended up being another.
- Lack of transparency with deals made in the dead of night without community and resident input.
- Lack of receipts. How are data centers creating jobs, and how will the influx of people not adversely affect the impacted communities? Huntsville, for example, is a clear indication that opportunities and rampant growth, not properly managed, do more harm than good.
Allison Sinclair, co-host on Rightside Media, made an excellent point about the citizens’ response to data centers: "I don't think it's all bad. What gives me pause is that it seems like we can't have a conversation about it. That whatever side you're on, you're either staunchly against it or staunchly for it, and I question both sides."
So do I, and so do many Alabamians. Pointing to Tuberville’s stance, Sinclair put a fine point on this, saying, “Do not stand up and tell us what we’re going to take and what we’re not, because that will not go well.”
If elected governor, Tuberville plans to put out the welcome mat to any technology company that wants to build in the state, 1819 News reported:
‘We've been working with data centers for about two years,’ Tuberville outlined. ‘You know, there's 4,000 data centers already in the country. They've been here 20-25 years and growing, and AI is the future. And all data centers are about is storing information.
‘And there's a lot of misconception out there because growing AI is going to grow our education, going to give our kids a better opportunity, and it's also going to continue to lead China. Now, the propaganda coming out on social media is coming from China, most of it, you know, just kind of pushing the narrative that it's dangerous and we don't need to do it. Well, who benefits from that? The Chinese benefit from it,’ he added.
Tuberville debunked the concerns about water usage as a “misnomer,” but then added something that can seem insulting by saying, “You have a lot of these people talking about things that they really know nothing about.”
Okay…. We know that for a governor, economic growth and a thriving and cutting-edge state are only feathers in one’s cap. But to dismiss the legitimate concerns and insight from the constituents you want to elect you is not the way to go … and such a move may come back to bite him.
On the other hand, Tuberville’s Democrat opponent has actually spoken truth. In a statement to ALpolitics.com, Jones said:
To say this opposition is coming from China is one of the most ridiculous things Tommy Tuberville has ever said, and that's a high bar. The people raising these concerns aren't foreign agents. They're Alabama families who found out about massive projects in their own communities after decisions had already been made. Instead of listening to them, Tuberville insults them.
Jones is not wrong. Data centers alter people’s way of life. A formerly quiet community where you once could hear a pin drop now has a low-grade hum from server production and air conditioning.
Why not talk to residents BEFORE cutting these data center deals? Much of the ire stems from residents feeling that this is being shoved down their throats.
Furthermore, do we need to be the welcome mat to every data center? How much is too much?
As with most Democrats, where Jones goes wrong is solutions. There is no way existing projects can be shut down immediately, nor should they be. And a “real statewide plan”? What does that mean? It sounds like more top-down government, which refuses to consider and honor the unique community and landscapes that make up the state.
As for Tuberville, his strength – clarity of purpose and hands-on leadership – also manages to be his weakness. His statement comes off as “my way or the highway.” As Sinclair noted, this grates on many Alabamians. To dismiss people’s legitimate concerns is an insult.
Tuberville is a bulldozer, but if he doesn’t want the AI data centers to become an albatross, he'll have to tap into persuasion. Otherwise, he will lose votes. Those voters may not necessarily vote for Jones, but they won’t vote for Tuberville.
This is a debate worth having, and Tuberville needs to moderate his position so that we can have it. While it may not cost him the election, it will be a persistent thorn in his side, hampering his governance.
Jennifer Oliver O'Connell, As the Girl Turns, is an investigative journalist, author, opinion analyst, and contributor to 1819 News, Redstate, and other publications. Jennifer writes on Politics and Pop Culture, with occasional detours into Reinvention, Yoga, and Food. You can read more about Jennifer's world at her As the Girl Turns website. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Telegram.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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