Amish Shah faces scrutiny over Arizona data center stance

Democratic congressional candidate Amish Shah is facing scrutiny in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District regarding his stance on data center development. While Shah has used campaign rhetoric and social media to criticize his Republican opponent, Jay Feely, for supporting data centers that could impact the state’s water supply, Shah previously worked in the state legislature to secure tax breaks that facilitated a significant influx of data centers in Arizona.

Shah’s campaign has indicated that he opposes new data center construction specifically within the 1st Congressional District, rather than advocating for a statewide ban. Meanwhile, Feely has expressed support for data center development, provided they utilize closed-loop systems with reclaimed water and pay for their own power.

In a separate campaign effort, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) released a television advertisement titled ‘Protecting’ to support Shah. The ad highlights his legislative record, specifically noting that he was the only Democrat in the state legislature to vote for measures to crack down on fentanyl trafficking and his support for funding police and border security.