Data centers uniting some on the political extremes
Both left and right find reasons to oppose hyperscale data centers that enable artificial intelligence, crypto mining
PIERRE – In a partisan world that is often cleaved between left and right, blue and red, one issue in South Dakota has unified parts of the progressive and conservative movements.
Data centers and their potential move into the state have provided a real-world glimpse at the horseshoe theory of politics, where an issue can unify parts of the far left and far right.
In Sioux Falls, an organizer of a petition drive to refer a rezoning decision that opened the door for a data center was Jordan Deffenbaugh, a progressive activist and labor organizer who promoted a sustainable living platform while running for City Council. During the petition drive, Deffenbaugh recounted his own experience working in California’s tech industry as a reason for his opposition to data centers.
