AI isn't on the ballot, but it's still being tested

Voters head to the polls in the 2026 midterms with control of both the House and Senate in play, and the results are being read as a litmus test for AI policy and infrastructure. Data centers became a campaign flashpoint, with politicians proposing moratoriums and safeguards over water and electricity costs, and the outcomes could shape how tech companies court voters. OpenAI's top lobbyist has already begun pitching 2028 presidential hopefuls on how to talk about AI, according to a Politico memo. Elon Musk has donated nearly half a billion dollars this cycle—the largest sum ever for a non-candidate—including support for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's Senate campaign. California's proposed one-time 5% billionaire tax has driven some AI-focused billionaires to Florida, and Meta's Mark Zuckerberg considered leaving before the company intervened.