Poll finds voters link Republicans with Big Tech tax breaks as data center backlash grows

Nearly half of respondents see GOP as party of tech tax incentives, while Democrats target data center subsidies on the campaign trail

By LineZotpaper

Published20 October 2026

Read Time2 min

A new POLITICO Poll has found that American voters increasingly associate the Republican Party with tax breaks for Big Tech and data centers, as public anxiety over artificial intelligence and infrastructure sprawl intensifies ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms. Nearly half of respondents (47%) called Republicans the party of tech tax incentives, more than double the 21% who said the same for Democrats. The survey also showed that voters are far more likely to support candidates who would strip away tax preferences for data centers, with only about 1 in 10 wanting new breaks for the facilities.

The poll, conducted by PF Global, reveals growing cross-party concern about the tax treatment of technology companies. A plurality of Americans believe the risks of AI development outweigh its benefits and that the government should strictly regulate the emerging technology. A majority also said tech executives have been secretive about potential AI risks.

Lawmakers in both parties have scrambled to respond. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) has proposed a 100% federal tax on any state or local incentive offered to AI data centers. In many Democratic- and Republican-led states, governors have sought to limit already-approved data center incentives.

Democrats have gone on the offensive. Former Sen. Sherrod Brown, running to unseat Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio), posted: "Jon Husted's 'deals' gave wealthy tech companies a windfall and left Ohioans footing the bill." In a Georgia debate, Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) challenged his opponent, Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.): "I want to know if you will commit to voting to repeal that data center tax scam that you voted for." Ossoff referred to the 2025 Republican tax megabill, which expanded incentives that Big Tech has found particularly useful, helping drive a decrease in corporate tax payments as AI spending rises.

The top tax priorities for voters according to the poll are hiking taxes on billionaires and curbing breaks for big companies, not extending new data center preferences. It remains unclear whether the anti-AI sentiment will translate into new legislative limits.

Analysis

Why This Matters

Data center construction is booming to support AI, and local tax incentives are a major driver of where facilities are built; changing public sentiment could reshape that landscape.
The midterm elections are less than two weeks away, and data center tax policy has become a wedge issue in key Senate races in Ohio, Georgia and other states.
Voter pressure could force candidates from both parties to take a harder line on corporate tax breaks, affecting future state and federal tax policy.

Background

The tension between technology investment and tax fairness has grown as data centers multiply across the United States, often attracted by generous state and local incentives. The 2025 Republican tax cuts expanded provisions such as bonus depreciation and Opportunity Zones, which technology companies have used to reduce their tax bills significantly. Meanwhile, public concern about AI risks and data center resource use (water, energy, land) has been rising, creating a political opening for candidates who promise to rein in the industry's tax advantages.

Key Perspectives

Republican lawmakers: Some, like Sen. Bernie Moreno, have proposed punitive federal taxes on state incentives, signaling a split within the party. The GOP enacted the 2025 tax cuts that Big Tech has benefitted from, but now faces backlash on the campaign trail. Democratic challengers: Figures such as Sherrod Brown and Jon Ossoff are making data center tax breaks a central attack line, tying Republican incumbents to what they call a "data center tax scam" that benefits wealthy companies at taxpayer expense. Voters: The poll shows a clear preference for ending rather than expanding data center tax breaks. A majority also want strict AI regulation and believe executives have been secretive about risks, creating broad pressure for policy change.

What to Watch

Election results on Nov. 3: outcomes in Ohio, Georgia and other states where data center incentives have been a campaign issue.
Any post-election moves in state capitals to roll back existing incentives, regardless of which party wins.
Whether Sen. Moreno's 100% tax proposal gains traction in the next Congress or remains a symbolic gesture.

Sources

Poll: Voters see Republicans as the party of Big Tech tax breaks · Politics

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 8 supported.

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SupportedThe poll links Republicans with Big Tech tax breaks as data-center backlash grows.Politics: “Americans are fed up with data centers and Big Tech, and Republicans are poised to take more of the political blame in the Nov. 3 midterms. The POLITICO Poll found last week that Americans were far more likely to associate the GOP with giving tax incentives to tech companies”
Partly supportedVoters increasingly associate Republicans with tax breaks for both Big Tech and data centers.Politics: “Americans increasingly associate Silicon Valley titans with the Republican Party.”
SupportedForty-seven percent called Republicans the party of tech tax breaks, compared with 21 percent for Democrats.Politics: “Nearly half of respondents — 47% — called Republicans the party of tech tax breaks, more than double the 21% who said the same for Democrats.”
SupportedVoters were more likely to support candidates who would remove data-center tax incentives, while about one in 10 wanted new preferences for data centers.Politics: “Voters are also far more likely to want candidates who propose stripping away tax incentives for the data centers needed to fuel the AI boom”
Partly supportedThe poll found growing cross-party concern about technology companies’ tax treatment.Politics: “The findings come as lawmakers in both parties have scrambled to respond to the growing voter concerns over AI and data centers”
SupportedA plurality said AI-development risks outweigh benefits and that government should strictly regulate AI; a majority said tech executives had been secretive about potential risks.Politics: “A majority of respondents said that tech chief executives had been secretive about the potential risks of AI, while a plurality of Americans believe both that the risks of artificial intelligence development outweigh the benefits and that the government should strictly regulate the emerging technology.”
Partly supportedBernie Moreno proposed a 100% federal tax on state or local incentives offered to AI data centers.Politics: “Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) rolled out a proposal last week that would take that a step further by imposing a 100% tax on any state or local incentive offered to AI data centers.”
SupportedGovernors in Democratic- and Republican-led states have sought to limit data-center incentives that were already approved.Politics: “But in both Democratic and Republican-led states alike, governors have sought to put new limits on tax incentives that were already approved for data centers.”
SupportedSherrod Brown posted, “Jon Husted's ‘deals’ gave wealthy tech companies a windfall and left Ohioans footing the bill.”Politics: ““Jon Husted’s ‘deals’ gave wealthy tech companies a windfall and left Ohioans footing the bill,” Brown recently posted on social media.”
Partly supportedOssoff made his statement in a Georgia debate with Mike Collins.Politics: “In fact, Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) recently gave last year’s megabill another new name in a recent debate with his opponent, Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.).”
SupportedIn the debate, Ossoff asked Collins, “I want to know if you will commit to voting to repeal that data center tax scam that you voted for.”Politics: ““I want to know if you will commit to voting to repeal that data center tax scam that you voted for,” Ossoff said.”
SupportedThe 2025 Republican tax megabill expanded incentives useful to Big Tech, helping drive down corporate tax payments as AI spending rose.Politics: “Big Tech has found those tax breaks particularly useful, helping to drive a big decrease in corporate tax payments as AI spending keeps trending upward.”