There’s a clear reason why many Republican leaders in red states often don’t align with their constituents’ political views. They tend to represent the interests of specific groups rather than the general populace.
This issue is particularly visible in West Virginia, which has been heavily impacted by generative AI data centers. These centers are backed by influential figures like House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, who serves special interests while working against struggling communities in legal battles.
It’s ironic that the individuals who helped remove local governments’ authority to halt data center projects are now defending these same projects in court. Recall the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, which aimed to eliminate the ability of state and local governments to oppose data center constructions? Interestingly, West Virginia enacted a state-level ban on such projects last year. Mr. Hanshaw actually presented HB 2014 to Republican Governor Patrick Morrissey.
HB 2014 granted various tax breaks and regulatory advantages to data centers, effectively overriding local governance in terms of siting, zoning, and operating certified high-impact data centers and microgrids.
This means that companies like Google, Meta, and OpenAI can easily infiltrate communities, aided by state politicians who are incentivized by these large corporations. And who better to advocate for them than the House Speaker himself?
While Hanshaw was serving as Speaker, he filed a notice of appearance with the Department of Environmental Protection’s Air Quality Commission on behalf of MGS CNP1 LLC, a Houston-based firm involved in a data center project in Mason County.
This occurred shortly after state representatives passed a law simplifying the certification process for such projects through the Department of Commerce. Just two days following the session’s conclusion, Hanshaw took on another case for Fundamental Data, which is developing a large-scale data center in Tucker County.
Thus, the very individual who played a role in diminishing local authority to block these centers is now defending the interests of data center developers in court against local community members who are opposing permit approvals.
The situation in Tucker County motivated me to voice my concerns about this reckless approach, which seizes the land, resources, and power of red states for generative AI that primarily serves corporate interests rather than local needs.
Last August, I spent time in Tucker County, known for its stunning Blackwater Falls State Park and Canaan Valley. In a county that only narrowly supported Trump, these are the individuals whom the MAGA agenda promised to uplift.
I spoke to several local residents who were deeply frustrated by the injustices occurring in a state with so few Democratic officials.
Compounding the issue, West Virginia is also dealing with extensive power lines designed to support the data center demands from Northern Virginia. Residents in West Virginia are predicted to face a $572 million increase in electricity rates due to this endeavor, according to a report from the Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysts.
What’s disheartening is that these data center projects aren’t even generating jobs. According to the BLS’ February JOLT report, construction is experiencing the most significant downturn since the Great Recession. Oracle, a major player in cloud computing, is set to lay off 18% of its employee base.
Moreover, Hanshaw and his associates have gone further than what was stipulated in HB 2014, offering even greater incentives for data centers compared to other industries.
This session saw the introduction of SB 623, which provides absolute exemptions from property and sales taxes for all data center equipment. Additionally, HB 4013 was proposed, establishing a new tax credit for data centers that enables them to offset various state income taxes based on capital expenses, construction costs, wages, and more.
How many jobs do you need to create to qualify for this? Just ten! This essentially acknowledges that these large corporations, regardless of their significant resource usage and financial power, do not create many jobs.
In a sense, the goals of Agenda 2030 are unfolding right before us in states where Republicans dominate both legislative chambers with overwhelming majorities. West Virginia’s substantial Republican representation serves as a testament that the lack of tangible conservative results isn’t a matter of insufficient power or votes; rather, it’s about the overwhelming influence of money and special interests.
