Wisconsin governor race: Candidates differ on data center guardrails

MILWAUKEE - Data centers are heating up in the race for Wisconsin governor.

The issue is already hitting your TVs, with Republican Tom Tiffany’s new ads calling his Democratic opponent "Data Center David Crowley," while Crowley fires back.

On the topic of data centers

What we know:

Here's one thing the nominees for governor actually agree upon: they say Wisconsin needs data center guardrails.

That makes sense when you look at polls. The Marquette Law School poll in July found growing opposition: 76% said the costs of data centers outweighed the benefits. In March, it was 69% yes and 30% no. In February, 70% said yes and 29% said no. In October 2025, the responses were 55% yes and 44% no.

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What they're saying:

During the Democratic primary, Crowley said he opposed a statewide moratorium, something pitched by Francesca Hong. Instead, Crowley argued locals should have the final say.

"I think that putting a full moratorium actually takes away local control. It actually preempts local municipalities because there may be manufacturing plants that have already been shuttered, and there may be communities who are looking to bring these in and wanting to hold them accountable. Now, I think what we really need to be focusing on, as well, is that many of the candidates up here keep talking about future data centers. The problem I have is that we're not protecting ourselves from the data centers that are currently here in the state of Wisconsin now. And so, how do we make sure we're protecting our environment, we’re protecting our agriculture, we’re protecting our farmers, we're protecting our people, when they're already here?" said Crowley during a candidate forum on data centers hosted July 29 by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Tom Tiffany says there should be no new data centers without a list of things, including that local communities should have the final say. He also says there should be no subsidies for data centers. However, Crowley doesn't rule out some tax incentives.

"I believe that anytime we give any level of tax incentive, it needs to make sure that it benefits the state of Wisconsin. It needs to be tied to retiring, and it needs to be tied towards income, and it needs to be tied to making sure that we are not giving away the farm because we believe it’s going to the greatest thing here in the state of Wisconsin," said Crowley at the candidate forum.

Both candidates say the state should ban non-disclosure agreements between data center developers and local governments. Both Tiffany and Crowley say data centers should pay for electrical grid upgrades, and the costs should not be covered by increased rates for other customers.

"No new data centers without these standards to protect Wisconsin. First, as governor, I would end all subsidies for data centers in Wisconsin, including those currently provided under Governor Evers. Taxpayers should not be subsidizing some of the wealthiest companies in the world. Second, I would ensure local communities have the final say on every proposed project. Third, I would protect productive Wisconsin farmland by ensuring it is not converted into industrial-scale data center developments, just as I've consistently opposed Democrats sacrificing it for subsidized wind and solar projects. Fourth, any costs created by data centers must be paid by the facilities themselves, not passed on to Wisconsin families and businesses through higher utility bills. Fifth, I would ban nondisclosure agreements that keep communities in the dark about proposed projects. If these principles are not met, and the local community does not support the project, it should not move forward. There need to be clear principles in place to protect Wisconsin's land, water, and taxpayers," stated Tiffany.

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Attacks on both sides

What we know:

Both sides are attacking the other on this issue. Both accuse the other of receiving money from data center supporters. The Crowley campaign attacks Tiffany for voting for two bills, including a failed proposal that would have stopped states from regulating AI for 10 years. On the other side, the new Tiffany ad quotes from a conservative news publication’s headline calling Crowley a "data center diehard."  

Despite the criticisms, both candidates have also embraced the new tech. In an interview with PBS this year, Tiffany called data centers "exciting new technology." Crowley said of Wisconsin: "There’s an opportunity for us to really become AI and a data hub not only for the entire country, but for the entire globe."

This isn't a top issue for Wisconsin. The same Marquette Law School Poll in July found only 5% said it was the most important issue. It found the most important issues are inflation and cost of living at 42%, illegal immigration and border security at 13%, health insurance at 9%, property taxes at 7%, jobs and economy at 7%, affordability of housing at 6%, data centers at 5%, public schools at 4%, abortion policy at 4%, and crime in your community at 3%.

Some of the largest tech giants are building data centers in Wisconsin, including Microsoft's estimated $7 billion project in Mount Pleasant. Vantage Data Centers, Oracle and Open AI are teaming up on a projected $15 billion project in Port Washington. 

Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Jason Calvi and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.

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