Governor Abigail Spanberger announced what she called the “most comprehensive and aggressive” plan in the country to wrangle Virginia’s data centers Friday. The issue, and Spanberger’s plan, are likely to become key to campaigns next year when all of the Commonwealth’s 140 legislative seats are up for election.
“Nothing’s off the table,” said Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle Friday morning when asked if Republicans were prepared to embrace the populist fight, including bans, against data centers.
The facilities provide billions in taxes to localities, but their drag on power and water, among other complaints, has created a public outcry not seen in decades.
And while Governor Abigail Spanberger argued Friday her new regulations could be so burdensome they might encourage some data centers to leave the Commonwealth, it stops short of any pause or ban on the facilities.
“There’s great value in responding meaningfully, in detailed, thoughtful policy, to issues that are among top concerns for constituents,” the governor said Friday. “And make no mistake about it, these standards are high. And if you don’t want to meet these standards, Virginia may not be the place for you.”
As for House Speaker and fellow Democrat Don Scott, who backed Spanberger’s plan?
“I’m not worried about the election, I’m trying to get it right," he told Radio IQ Friday morning. Scott hopes to expand his 14-seat majority next year, and just this week House Democratic Caucus Campaign Chair Delegate Dan Helmer put out the call for new candidates ahead of 2027.
But with other states and even some Virginia localities -including Loudoun County, the data center capital of the world- enacting data center bans, Republicans like Colonial Heights Senator Glen Sturtevant have found a wedge issue for ads like this:
“I’m Glen Sturtevant and you can’t hear me right now because of this data center,” Sturtevant says, with a data center’s hum blasting behind him. “It’s one of the reasons I've called on Governor Spanberger to issue a moratorium on all new data center approvals across Virginia.”
But Sturtevant, who has little to lose after his district went for Spanberger by eight points last year, isn’t alone in criticizing the governor’s stance. Democratic Senate President Louise Lucas said Spanberger was “feeling the heat but ignoring the fire,” by keeping an estimated $2 billion tax break for the industry.
The data center tax beak was so important to Lucas she delayed the commonwealth's budget over the issue. And her tour of localities, taking public input from those against data centers, has only rebuffed the combative official's stance.
Sturtevant is far from alone as an incumbent Republican currently elected to district that went for Spanberger; according to the Virginia Public Access Project’s Index, four of his Republican colleagues are also in competitive seats.
But Scott's 14-seat majority, and his dreams of expanding it, are on the other side of VPAP's index, with 12 House seats, all held by incumbent Democrats, listed as competitive.
Still, Chesterfield County Democratic Senator Mike Jones said he hopes those in his own party - and maybe even those across the aisle- can come together.
“The next goal is to work with the House and the Senate to get these initiatives across the finish line,” Jones told Radio IQ.
Other parts of Spanberger’s data center plan announced Friday would require legislation. And the governor, who sent back a record number of vetoes against her own party earlier this year, said she's been reaching out to legislators ahead of the 2027 session starting in January.
But Lucas -who's power wielding was on display during this summer's budget fight- has been characteristically less-than-subtle about her relationship with the Governor.
“I haven’t had any conversations with the governor yet,” Lucas told NBC Washington earlier this week. And the press release announcing the plan Friday featured a handful of Democratic officials, not an overflow of support a Governor might prefer.
Richmond Delegate Betsy Carr, the only elected legislator in the room for Spanberger’s announcement Friday, was cautiously optimistic as she left the event.
“It might not be as far as everyone wants to go, but it’s a good step forward,” Carr told Radio IQ about Spanberger’s plan.
But will it lead the legislature to its often-sought “peace in the valley?”
“We’ll see,” Carr said.
