Senate Republicans to Vote on Data Center Power Bill Ahead of Midterms

US Senate Republicans have decided to remain in Washington and hold a vote next week on legislation aimed at shielding consumers from electricity bill increases linked to data centers, as the party confronts mounting election anxiety less than six weeks before the November 3 midterms.

Senators had the option to leave the capital on Thursday and stay away until after the election. Instead, they will return to take up the Ratepayer Protection Act, a move sought by Senator Jon Husted, who trails former Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, in Ohio — a state President Donald Trump carried by more than 11 points in 2024.

The bill would require state utility regulators to weigh whether large electricity users, including data centers, should shoulder the incremental costs of power infrastructure built to serve them. It cleared the House of Representatives in a 417-3 vote. A procedural vote had been expected on Wednesday.

Republicans argue that supporting the measure will show voters they are serious about tackling a cost-of-living crisis. Polls indicate broad public opposition to data centers even as Trump has backed their development. The facilities are multiplying as artificial intelligence demands ever more computing power, and the grid upgrade costs needed to meet their massive energy needs have often been passed on to residential consumers.

Democrats, who blocked an attempt by Husted last week to pass the bill by unanimous consent, contend it does not go far enough. They have proposed the GRID Savings Act, which would require large data centers to pay the full cost of grid upgrades needed to serve them.

"Senator Husted's bill is a fraud. It's voluntary. No company has to do it. The bill we have is mandatory. It is much stronger," Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told reporters.

Given Democratic opposition, Republicans hope next week's vote will demonstrate to the public that they, rather than Democrats, are ready to address high costs. "They say they're for more affordability. This is a chance for everybody to prove it," Husted said.

The decision to hold the vote is the latest sign of Republican unease over Trump's record-low approval ratings. Senate Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged the difficult landscape. "It's not a great environment. There are headwinds we're facing in all the races around the country," he said. Thune has told reporters that showing independence from Trump on issues important to local constituents is the best path for Republican candidates.

Trump's approval has fallen even among Republicans, according to a poll showing party support dropping nine points to 73% over a week. In key battlegrounds such as Georgia, Iowa, Maine, North Carolina and Texas, his approval ratings were double digits below his share of the 2024 presidential vote.

Although Trump is not on the ballot, he has remained at the center of the campaign and dominated a Republican convention in Dallas this month meant to boost congressional candidates. "The election cycle is about Trump, and he's not given anybody anything to vote for other than his MAGA agenda," said Chuck Coughlin, an independent strategist who heads the Arizona-based firm Highground Inc.

Some Republican candidates in tight races, including Mike Rogers of Michigan and Ashley Hinson of Iowa, have called for a quick end to the Iran war, which has disrupted oil supplies and driven energy prices higher. Others, such as Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas, have voiced concern about immigration enforcement operations in their states, one of Trump's signature initiatives.

Until now, Republicans have promoted tax cuts in Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill, which took effect in 2025, as evidence of their affordability efforts, while contrasting themselves with Democrats on transgender issues and other culture-war topics.