kolotv.com · Terri Russell · September 8, 2026
Nevada gubernatorial candidates weigh in on data centers
# Nevada gubernatorial candidates weigh in on data centers
Data Center
By Terri Russell
Published: Sep. 7, 2026 at 11:52 PM PDT| Updated: 31 minutes ago
RENO, Nev. (KOLO) -Data Centers are a hot political issue, not only nationwide but right here in Nevada.
A look at where both candidates, incumbent Joe Lombardo, and Attorney General Aaron Ford stand on the issue of data centers.
“When I am governor, I will put the brakes on tax giveaways to data centers.”
These political ads by the Ford Campaign have recently hit the airwaves and social media.
The political ad goes on.
“They’ll have to use their own energy, so your rates don’t go up and not use our fresh water,” says Ford.
Data centers have become one of the top issues for voters this mid-term election.
And both parties have taken out ads focusing on their opposition to data centers and painting their opponent as indifferent to this issue or actually supporting data centers--or both
An ad by the Lombardo campaign had its own accusations against Ford.
“Aaron Ford sponsored the bill that gave tax breaks to data centers no restrictions on water they consume or power they use.”
“You recall when data centers first starting coming around in Nevada in 2015 all we were talking about was cloud storage,” says Ford the Democratic candidate for Nevada Governor. “There wasn’t this big conversation about water or energy. But when I first started to hear about this last fall, I began listening even more. So, after this two statewide tour, it became really apparent. No matter who I spoke to Democrats, Republican, Non-Partisan, rural, suburban, it didn’t matter people have concerns.”
Those concerns involve not cloud storage centers from a decade ago, instead hyperscale-AI data centers and their water usage which has always been a worry for those living in the desert. Also, electrical use.
In some communities across the country local residents saw their utility bills go up because of the energy needs of a data center.
“They are going to have to use their own water,” says Ford. “They are going to have to use green energy to power their own facility. They are going to have to build out the grid to accommodate their own needs.”
His opponent, current governor Joe Lombardo, a Republican has his own ideas about data centers and shared them with us back in a June interview.
He said an average data center is not a big water user.
“Will consume less water than 25 to 50 homes. Are you and I paying higher rates as a result of the draw from a data center? And I can comfortably say no.”
When asked about future use, Lombard responded.
“Well that future will be mandated.” Governor Lombardo points to the hundreds of jobs that are created through data centers as the reason for his support. While those jobs may be on the front end through the construction of those centers.
Ford says he’s not convinced what happens after construction.
“Prove it at the end of the day,“’ he says.
Ford says if elected as governor he will audit state tax abatements given to data centers to make sure the promises they made at the time of the agreement are being met--like water usage, electricity, and labor.
“I would not support anything that would incumber our constituents being successful or cost more per dollar every day for themselves,” says Lombardo.
Both agree local communities must have a seat at the table when it comes to data centers.
Governor Lombardo says tougher regulation on data centers, if needed, will come in the future.
Data centers he says are a quote: " The New Gold Rush."
Ford says the future starts when he’s elected governor. Auditing current data centers to make sure they are living up to their agreements, and going forward, making sure Nevadans questions and concerns are addressed through well thought out plans.
President Trump has praised data centers saying they are essential for community wealth and lowering taxes.
He warned communities opposing them the risk of facing:
“Poverty, crime and squalor.”
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