Senate Democrats may have denied Republicans a midterm win by blocking a GOP senator’s bipartisan data center bill, but in the process, they revealed an out-of-sync party strategy over how to handle the increasingly contentious campaign issue.
The Ratepayer Protection Act, meant to prevent data centers from raising electricity prices, enjoyed sweeping support in the House from all but three Democrats while all but four of their colleagues in the Senate opposed it.
And the rhetoric from Democrats in each chamber could hardly be more different.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) called it “an appropriate step forward.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) condemned it as “Republicans’ toothless data center bill” that “completely misses the mark.”
“Americans don’t want another hollow messaging bill,” Schumer said. “They don’t want to watch Senate Republicans give themselves a pat on their back when they’ve accomplished nothing.”
In some cases, House Democrats are campaigning on the bill that’s doomed in its current form, presenting a further contrast to the vast majority of Senate Democrats who want nothing to do with it.
Now in a Trump-leaning Tampa Bay-area district following mid-decade redistricting, bill cosponsor Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL) made the case it would “protect your pocketbook.” She described the bill in a video on her campaign Facebook page as “legislation to protect consumers from unfair rate increases at the hands of billion-dollar data center corporations.”
Senate Democrats largely downplayed the disconnect within the party, arguing the proposal lacked enforcement mechanisms and would do more to arm Republicans with a faux policy win to tout to voters.
“The bill is harmless,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), a leadership member. “It does nothing, right? It literally restates current law. I wouldn’t be campaigning on this because it doesn’t do anything.”
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., attend an event marking the installation of a plaque commemorating Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
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Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., attend an event marking the installation of a plaque commemorating Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
The measure would require state regulators to consider standards for certain new data centers to cover generation, transmission, and infrastructure upgrade costs, but would not mandate them. Democrats ridiculed its “voluntary” system. The measure’s lead Senate sponsor, Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH), a vulnerable incumbent who’s been pummeled by Democratic rival Sherrod Brown over data centers, fired back that it’s “the only game in town” with a chance of reaching Trump’s desk.
Instead, Democrats point to a bipartisan permitting deal to boost new energy projects as a more viable method of shielding ratepayers because it includes mandatory cost protections. However, the earliest Congress will address the deal is in the lame-duck session after the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Wednesday’s Senate vote, among its last before senators go home to campaign ahead of the election, fell short of the chamber’s 60-vote threshold to advance with a tally of 57-43. It was backed by four Democrats: Jon Ossoff (D-GA), who has a battleground reelection; Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who is running for Minnesota governor; Raphael Warnock (D-GA); and Maggie Hassan (D-NH).
DEMOCRATS DENY GOP A MIDTERM WIN BY BLOCKING HUSTED DATA CENTER BILL
Ossoff told the Washington Examiner he “supported opening debate” but declined to say whether he would’ve voted for final passage of the legislation in its current form.
“I wanted us to get on the bill and debate it,” Ossoff said. “Have [the] amendment process. It’s a serious issue. Folks are concerned about the impact of these data centers on their power bills.”
Hailey Bullis and Lauren Green contributed to this report.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
