AI and data centers have leapfrogged Israel, racism, and crypto as US campaign topics

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A Washington Post analysis of over 1,200 active candidate websites found that AI shows up in roughly 40% of US races for House, Senate, and governor seats, outranking previously dominant topics like Israel, manufacturing, and racism. The conversation is largely driven by data centers and their local effects on electricity costs, water use, and land use — not abstract AI safety. Democratic candidates mention AI twice as often as Republicans, focusing on risks, regulation, and child safety, while Republicans lean toward national security and US-China competition. Separate polls indicate most Americans remain skeptical of AI and fear job losses, suggesting public concern is translating into electoral salience. The shift is significant because AI went from a niche tech issue to a mainstream campaign topic in a single election cycle. For AI companies and policymakers, this signals that local infrastructure impacts — not abstract AI debates — are the primary lens through which most voters encounter AI policy. The political framing around data centers is particularly consequential: energy and water use are now bipartisan pressure points that could shape zoning, permitting, and utility regulation.