Michigan House Candidate Advocates for AI Data Center Moratorium

Will Lawrence, a Michigan House candidate and member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has called for a national halt on new AI data centers. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Lawrence emphasized the need for a comprehensive national discussion on the implications of advanced AI development and how it can benefit everyone instead of a few Silicon Valley billionaires.

At a campaign event in South Lansing, Michigan, Lawrence voiced his support for a federal moratorium. He stated that the current approach to building AI data centers undermines democracy and self-determination, which are core American values.

“You have billionaires from Silicon Valley and Wall Street who are coming into small towns and then just telling everybody, ‘Trust us, trust us, your energy bills aren’t going to rise. This is going to be a great deal for everybody,'” Lawrence stated.

Lawrence, along with U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, appeared at a rally in Lansing, Michigan. Besides the advocated moratorium, Lawrence criticized President Donald Trump for various policies and championed campaign finance reform through publicly funded elections.

Lawrence pointed out the overwhelming influence of money in politics, arguing it challenges the democratic process. He specifically targeted the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, which marked its stance by treating political contributions as free speech protected by the First Amendment.

He mentioned the necessity of overturning Citizens United, advocating for a constitutional amendment and public financing of elections. Lawrence urges a system where candidates with genuine grassroots support can access equal public funding to run their campaigns.

“It’s a Supreme Court decision. But beyond just ending Citizens United, which deals with the dark money in politics, I also support public financing of elections, which would mean that every single candidate who has legitimate grassroots support gets access to the same pool of public funding,” Lawrence explained.

While avoiding broader DSA policies such as abolishing the Supreme Court and other governmental bodies, Lawrence focused on pragmatic issues like AI data center regulation, global conflict cessation, and universal healthcare.

Lawrence has garnered support from prominent figures like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He’s competing in the Democratic primary on August 4 for Michigan’s 7th district House seat, currently held by Rep. Tom Barrett.