{"slug": "democrat-leans-into-data-center-outrage-with-new-tv-ad-in-pennsylvania", "title": "Democrat leans into data center outrage with new TV ad in Pennsylvania", "summary": "Democrat Paige Cognetti, mayor of Scranton, launched a TV ad in Pennsylvania's critical congressional district directly challenging AI data centers, declaring 'we are not for sale' and criticizing their secrecy, tax breaks, and rising electricity costs. The ad, costing approximately $200,000 for a two-week run, reflects a national trend where opposition to data centers is influencing high-stakes political races. Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan has introduced the Local Control Protection Act to limit corporations' ability to sue over local zoning decisions on data centers, though the bill has not advanced.", "body_md": "# Democrat leans into data center outrage with new TV ad in Pennsylvania\n\nNumerous communities nationwide are fiercely opposed to the projects, leading to legal battles over planned complexes and new transmission lines\n\n- Bookmark\n\nDemocrat Paige Cognetti is launching a direct challenge to [artificial intelligence](/topic/artificial-intelligence) data centers in a new TV ad, declaring \"we are not for sale\" in a critical [Pennsylvania](/topic/pennsylvania) congressional district.\n\nThe contest between Cognetti, who serves as Scranton's mayor, and freshman Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan is viewed as a prime opportunity for the Democratic Party to secure a seat in the November election. This gain would bolster their efforts to reclaim control of the U.S. House and impede President [Donald Trump](/topic/donald-trump)'s agenda.\n\nCognetti's ad airs in a region significantly impacted by proposed AI data center developments, reflecting a national trend where opposition to these facilities is now influencing high-stakes political races.\n\nSpeaking directly to the camera, Cognetti draws parallels to the region's industrial past, stating, \"Big companies have come before, taken what they wanted and left us with their mess to clean up. Now it’s data centers.\"\n\nShe criticizes the common practices of developers, including the secrecy often used to obscure project details, the tax incentives frequently granted by states, and the escalating electricity costs in the mid-Atlantic region, driven by the immense energy demands of data centers.\n\nCognetti asserts, \"Big Tech needs to pay their own way. Not hide behind NDAs. No tax breaks. Don’t raise our electric bills, don’t poison our water. And hire local, union labor.\"\n\nIf not, “then get out,” she says. “This is our home. We are not for sale.”\n\nWhile President Donald Trump has prioritized data centers to advance U.S. AI competitiveness against China, numerous communities nationwide, including those in northeastern Pennsylvania, have fiercely opposed these projects, leading to legal battles over planned complexes and new transmission lines.\n\nCognetti's campaign confirmed the 30-second ad's initial two-week run across broadcast, cable, and digital platforms will cost approximately $200,000.\n\nBresnahan, meanwhile, has introduced legislation called the Local Control Protection Act, which he says would put limits on a corporation's right to sue over local zoning decisions denying an application to build a data center.\n\n“We should never let billion-dollar corporations supersede the voices of those who live in the community,” Bresnahan said in a statement accompanying the bill's introduction in June.\n\nThe bill has yet to move out of committee or gain a cosponsor.\n\nRepublicans have made protecting Bresnahan a high priority. Both Trump and Vice President JD Vance visited the district last year.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/democrat-leans-into-data-center-outrage-with-new-tv-ad-in-pennsylvania", "canonical_source": "https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/data-centers-paige-cognetti-tv-ad-pennsylvania-rob-bresnahan-b3023354.html", "published_at": "2026-07-28 21:06:24+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-07-28 21:36:29.440465+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["artificial-intelligence", "ai-policy", "ai-infrastructure"], "entities": ["Paige Cognetti", "Rob Bresnahan", "Donald Trump", "JD Vance", "Scranton", "Pennsylvania", "U.S. House", "Local Control Protection Act"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/democrat-leans-into-data-center-outrage-with-new-tv-ad-in-pennsylvania", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/democrat-leans-into-data-center-outrage-with-new-tv-ad-in-pennsylvania.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/democrat-leans-into-data-center-outrage-with-new-tv-ad-in-pennsylvania.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/democrat-leans-into-data-center-outrage-with-new-tv-ad-in-pennsylvania.jsonld"}}