Patti Zirhut has voted Republican throughout her life, including for Donald Trump in 2016, 2020 and 2024. This year, however, she is splitting her ticket—and has ruled out voting for Byron Donalds, the Republican nominee for governor of Florida.
Zirhut’s opposition is tied to Donalds’ support for data center development. She helps organize No Data Center Hernando County, a group opposing such projects in the rural Spring Hill area. Her position reflects a broader backlash that has brought together voters from both parties, although Republicans’ organizational and financial advantages could still preserve their lead.
Donalds has Trump’s endorsement, the Republican Party’s support and $148 million in campaign funds, much of it from the technology industry. He has promoted Florida as a destination for technology companies and data center developers. His Democratic opponent, former Representative David Jolly, has taken the opposite approach, promising a one-year moratorium on new data center projects.
Jolly has argued that opposition to the facilities is particularly strong among Republicans because the projects symbolize the growing influence of Big Tech and Big Data. Critics cite concerns about noise and air pollution, the health effects of on-site power plants, water consumption and the possibility that rapidly advancing artificial intelligence could make newly built facilities obsolete within a decade.
Donalds has since moderated his position as he seeks to appeal to Floridians who oppose data centers in their communities. He has highlighted legislation backed by his running mate, state Senator Bryan Ávila, requiring new projects to pay their share of water and electricity costs. Donalds has also said local governments will retain final authority over permits, arguing that communities that reject a data center should not receive one.
Jolly, meanwhile, has sought to turn the issue into a contrast between the candidates, referring to his opponent as “Data Center Donalds.” Donalds’ campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Community groups in Polk County, where residents are fighting a proposed $2.6 billion hyperscale data center, say they have contacted candidates ahead of the election. Raul Alfonso, chair of Watchdogs of Fort Meade, said Donalds and Governor Ron DeSantis sent similar responses emphasizing the role of local officials. Other candidates, including Democratic and Republican figures, have attended events or held meetings with residents, which Alfonso said showed a greater willingness to hear local concerns.
The issue has encouraged some conservative voters to consider crossing party lines. Alfonso, who voted for Trump in the last three presidential elections, says people who once voted straight Republican are now considering candidates they believe will take their concerns more seriously. James Fishback and Bobby Williams, Republican primary candidates, also addressed local opposition; Williams later endorsed Jolly.
The race remains competitive. A University of North Florida survey placed Jolly two percentage points behind Donalds, within its 2.8-point margin of error. Donalds has raised $148 million compared with Jolly’s $22 million, while Florida has nearly two million more registered Republicans than Democrats. Republicans also hold an advantage in early voting, suggesting that a Democratic victory remains difficult.
Data centers are not the leading concern for Florida voters, who consistently rank the cost of living as a higher priority. Jolly argues, however, that the projects represent wider anxieties about wages, employment, privacy, land use and the influence of wealthy technology and utility interests over political decisions.
Sources: The Verge.