We Asked the Candidates about Data Center Policies. Kaine Responded

As election season approaches, Potomac Local News is dedicated to informing the community about candidates vying for the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. Early voting in Virginia begins Sept. 20.

To help voters in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District make an informed decision, we continue a feature series offering insights into each candidate’s stand on critical issues affecting our area. Candidates are emailed a question and asked to reply by a deadline.

This first question focuses on data centers.

This format lets voters quickly compare the candidates’ views on critical issues, helping them make an informed choice come election day. Senator Tim Kaine and Hung Cao are running for the  District 10 seat in the Senate. Derrick Anderson and Eugene Vindman are running for the District 7 seat in the House of Representatives.

This week, we asked Tim Kaine (D) and Hung Cao (R) the following question:

Given the rapid expansion of data centers in Virginia, how do you plan to balance the economic benefits they bring with the environmental and community impacts, such as energy consumption and land use?

Kaine responded:

“While data centers fall under the jurisdiction of state and local officials in Virginia, I remain focused on bringing good-paying jobs to the Commonwealth. During my time in the Senate, I’ve proudly introduced several bills to expand job training and upskilling programs and help fill the high-demand jobs of the future in tech sectors – including in data centers. At the same time, building an economy that works for everyone requires taking steps to protect communities from noise pollution, water loss, and negative environmental consequences.”

Cao did not respond.

We asked Derrick Anderson (R) and Eugene Vindman (D), both running for House of Representatives the following question:

Data centers are a significant part of Virginia’s economy; how do you plan to work with local and state governments to ensure that their growth benefits local communities without compromising quality of life?

Anderson did not respond.

Vindman did not respond.

This series will continue next week. If you have suggestions for topics, feel free to add a comment.