OpenAI

Ohio, which backed Donald Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024, is showing early signs of a Democratic resurgence ahead of the midterms. According to Ohio Secretary of State data cited by CNN, Republicans' lead in pre-election voter affiliation in the state's most pro-Trump counties has shrunk from 30 points in 2024 to just five points this cycle, with Democrats showing stronger relative turnout even in heavily Republican areas. The data covers only early voting and should be treated cautiously, but the shift carries high stakes: Republicans are defending a U.S. Senate seat held by Jon Husted, the governor's office, and two competitive House seats.

Voter frustration over inflation and manufacturing-job losses appears to be driving disaffection among working-class voters who backed Trump in past cycles. Trump rallied for Husted in the Mahoning Valley this week, touting a new Defense Department facility in Cleveland and the continued operation of a Youngstown heat provider as evidence of his economic commitment to the region.

Representatives from Google, Meta, OpenAI and Anthropic testified before the New York City Council on Monday as lawmakers examined risks posed by artificial intelligence and weighed a package of 10 proposed bills aimed at creating guardrails and accountability mechanisms for AI companies operating in the city. Former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon also testified at the hearing, which was accompanied by a council oversight news conference.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani had raised concerns ahead of the hearing, saying officials remain far behind in understanding the scale of what AI companies are developing and cautioning against framing regulation solely as part of a competitive race with China. The hearing follows a White House event last week attended by the same companies, where President Trump announced the creation of a "Super Intelligence Force." The proceedings reflect intensifying scrutiny of AI firms by local governments even as federal policy leans toward encouraging rapid development.

Small rural townships across Michigan are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain the local clerks who administer elections, maintain voter rolls and process absentee ballots. In Hillsdale County's Fayette Township, no clerk has served since January after the previous clerk resigned, citing burnout compounded by public backlash over a contested solar farm proposal. No candidates filed for a special election, and the township board found no one willing to be appointed, forcing a neighboring city clerk to manage both jurisdictions' elections and a second special election planned for May.

Officials in Michigan, one of eight states that administer elections locally rather than through counties, say rising workloads, low part-time pay often under $12,000 a year, and increased harassment of election workers are driving clerks out. A bipartisan bill passed the state House that would let townships contract with any accredited Michigan resident to run elections, but it has stalled in the Democratic-led state Senate, leaving the staffing crisis unresolved ahead of future elections.

Kevin O'Leary's "Wonder Valley" project, rebranded in Utah as Stratos, aimed to build what O'Leary called the world's largest data center on 40,000 acres in Box Elder County, backed by a 9-gigawatt gas plant. The deal moved through the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA) and county commissioners at extraordinary speed, drawing scrutiny over water use near the shrinking Great Salt Lake, air pollution, and secretive dealmaking involving entrepreneur Austin Pritchett and former Rep. Jason Chaffetz.

O'Leary inflamed tensions by claiming on Fox Business that critics were linked to Chinese agents, naming local advocacy groups and individuals. He later retracted the claim, and Fox apologized on air; he and Fox were subsequently sued for defamation and have moved to dismiss the case. Commissioners approved the project after a chaotic public meeting where officials voted from a back room amid chants of "shame." Political fallout followed: Senate President Stuart Adams lost his primary, MIDA's director retired, and two commissioners were unseated. Litigation over a referendum continues, and MIDA has paused the project, with no tenant or land sales yet confirmed.

Texas's 10th Congressional District, a safely Republican seat stretching from Austin to Houston's suburbs, has become a proxy fight over Elon Musk's expanding footprint in the state. Republican candidate Chris Gober, a longtime GOP attorney who led Musk's America PAC in 2024 and has deep ties to the tech and defense industries, faces backlash from residents opposed to a SpaceX chip plant and a wave of data centers straining local power and water resources. Grimes County recently approved a tax abatement for the SpaceX "Terrafab" facility, prompting large public turnout in opposition and a write-in candidacy for county judge centered on blocking the project.

Gober has tried to balance support for "AI dominance" with pledges to protect rural residents, backing legislation requiring developers to fund infrastructure upgrades. Democratic opponent Caitlin Rourk, a former Dell employee and Army veteran, is casting the race as a referendum on tech industry influence, calling Gober "Elon Musk's lackey." Despite the controversy, the district remains rated solidly Republican following Rep. Michael McCaul's retirement.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has asked a state court to issue an injunction halting OpenAI from further developing its artificial intelligence models while a legal dispute between the two plays out. The request targets both the company and its CEO Sam Altman, and seeks to bar OpenAI from advancing new AI systems without third-party-approved safety protections, as well as to cut off minors' access to ChatGPT.

Uthmeier framed the move as an effort to force accountability on a company he argues has downplayed the risks of its technology, invoking recent public concern in Washington and elsewhere over AI's rapid, unchecked expansion. He challenged Altman to support the court action if his past comments about slowing AI development were sincere. The case adds Florida to a growing list of state-level legal and regulatory pressures facing OpenAI, with implications for how quickly the company can roll out new models and features amid mounting scrutiny of AI safety, particularly around minors.

Georgia's data center footprint could grow dramatically, with 119 planned facilities poised to increase the state's current 3,906 MW capacity by 287%, according to records analyzed by market intelligence firm Cleanview. The average new data center, running at typical two-thirds capacity, consumes enough energy to power 54,000 homes, and next-generation facilities are on track to use 2.5 times more power than those opening in 2026.

Growth projections face mounting local resistance over water and energy use. Effingham County residents have organized against an incentives deal for a proposed $20 billion OpenAI data center, while Shadowbox Studios is suing DeKalb County over a moratorium blocking its own data center plans. The issue has become a flashpoint in Georgia's governor's race, with Democratic candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms calling for a statewide development pause and Republican nominee Rick Jackson favoring local control. Cleanview notes many listed projects may never be built, with 45 already canceled and about 450 lacking completion dates.