Will Lawrence Launches 1st General-Election Ad Tying Tom Barrett to Mason Data Center
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Aug 12
Will Lawrence Launches 1st General-Election Ad Tying Tom Barrett to Mason Data Center
1 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Aug 12
Summary
Will Lawrence’s campaign is airing its first general-election ad, “Michigan First,” accusing Republican Rep. Tom Barrett of wanting to turn a Mason field into a data center and casting opposition to the project as a central House-race issue.
Lawrence is using the fight to unite Democrats and attract skeptical Republicans in a mid-Michigan district Donald Trump narrowly carried in 2024, after joining local opposition during his bruising primary.
Barrett rejected the charge, saying any Mason data center decision should be made by local residents and governments, not by Washington, and declined to endorse Trump’s pro-data-center stance.
The attack rests on indirect links — Barrett’s vote for the One, Big Beautiful Bill Act and utility-related donations — underscoring how aggressively candidates are trying to weaponize a fast-rising issue.
Polling helps explain that push: Gallup found 7 in 10 Americans oppose nearby data centers, while a Reuters/Ipsos poll found only 1 in 3 approve of the current buildout pace and 77% fear higher power costs.