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How a lifelong Republican came to lead the data center battle in Ohio

Oct 28, 2026 · Andrea Hsu

Originally published by NPR News Read the original

How a lifelong Republican came to lead the data center battle in Ohio
Nick Owens, an attorney in Brown County, Ohio, stands at the edge of a Mt. Orab neighborhood next to farmland that has been sold to a data center developer. Owens is leading an effort to halt the buildout of hyperscale data centers in communities like this one.
Nick Owens, an attorney in Brown County, Ohio, stands at the edge of a Mt. Orab neighborhood next to farmland that has been sold to a data center developer. Owens is leading an effort to halt the buildout of hyperscale data centers in communities like this one.

In Ohio, many people are displeased with the state's rapid buildout of data centers. It's a hot issue in the midterms, as political candidates from both parties try to ease voter concerns.

(Image credit: Andrea Hsu)

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