Florida congressional race highlights data center debate

In Florida’s 14th Congressional District, the race between Democratic Representative Kathy Castor and Republican challenger Mike Beltran has highlighted growing political tensions regarding data center development. Voters in several Florida counties, including Hernando, Desoto, Clay, Jackson, and Lake, as well as the city of Zephyrhills, have recently moved to pass moratoriums on large-scale data center projects due to concerns over rising electricity costs and community impact.

Both candidates face scrutiny regarding their ties to policies that support the sector. Castor’s support for the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 included tax incentives for renewable energy and energy-efficient buildings that can benefit data center operators. Meanwhile, Beltran has campaigned on the “Working Class Families Tax Cut plan,” which includes broad tax breaks.