By admin 
Issue: Data center construction
Data centers have taken a hold on the political discourse across the U.S., and the debate has reached California’s 22nd Congressional District, a Central Valley battleground that is one of the most closely watched races in the country. Incumbent Republican Rep. David Valadao and Democratic challenger Randy Villegas have taken different approaches to the centers’ potential economic and environmental impacts on their district, which spans five counties, stretching from Kerman in the north to Bakersfield in the south.
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Here’s what both candidates have said so far.
Rep. David Valadao, Republican incumbent: Open to data centers
Valadao’s statements so far show that he is trying to carefully navigate the issue. He recently was called out by Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., as someone who voted for last year’s Big Beautiful Bill, which Democrats claim will spur more data center construction.
“Is Hakeem opposed to the data centers?” Valadao told Politico in response to the criticism. “Does he not think the data centers, at some point, have to be developed? Is that what he’s trying to imply, or is he just trying to make a political issue out of something that probably needs to be addressed?
“I mean, obviously there are local concerns that need to be addressed,” Valadao added. “Trying to use something that a lot of people would argue is important for national security or national security interests as a political weapon sounds pretty irresponsible.”
Randy Villegas, Democrat: One-year ban
Villegas came out strongly against data centers last week, calling for at least a one-year moratorium on their construction in the Central Valley.
“A moratorium gives the Central Valley the chance to get this right before it’s too late,” Villegas said in a written statement. “No data center should be allowed to raise families’ utility bills, threaten our water supply, exploit our personal data, or disrupt local jobs. No data center should be built without the people of the Central Valley having a real say.”
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He added that Congress should establish five standards for data centers, including making the facilities pay for the full cost of electricity and infrastructure, commitments to avoid wasting water and a guarantee that the centers be built by local unions. “Congress must do more to prioritize working people over the tech billionaires and corporate interests making money off of data centers at the expense of working families,” Villegas said.
Why it matters
Multiple polls and surveys show that Americans overwhelmingly oppose new data centers in their local communities. Democrats have sought to capitalize on that opposition by arguing that Republicans and their 2025 megabill, H.R. 1, are helping fuel the expansion of the facilities.
President Donald Trump criticized people protesting data centers last week, saying the “only reason that communities throughout the U.S. should not want data centers is if they want to end up being backwards and poor.”
Responding to questions from The Sacramento Bee, Valadao — like Trump a Republican — didn’t quite echo the president. “Data centers play an important role in our economy and national security, but Central Valley families are already facing high electric bills and concerns about our water supply,” he said. “We need a responsible approach that listens to local input, protects our water and our ratepayers — and puts people ahead of corporations.”
Valadao did not answer if he supported a temporary moratorium on data center construction.
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