Data center super PAC spends $1.5 million to back Kansas GOP gubernatorial candidate

The intersection of artificial intelligence and state politics sharpened on Monday with the announcement of a major financial injection into two competitive races.

Building the Future, a newly formed super PAC, is spending more than $1.5 million to support Kansas State Sen. Ty Masterson in his bid for governor, according to a person familiar with the spending.

The group is an offshoot of Leading the Future, a super PAC backed by prominent figures in the AI industry that has emerged as a leading financial force in the midterm elections.

In a parallel move, The New York Times reported earlier in the day that Building the Future is also deploying approximately $1.5 million in advertising to support Republican Sen. Darline Graham in the South Carolina Senate race.

Building the Future was formed in August by Build American AI, a nonprofit within the Leading the Future network. The organization stated it would back candidates who support policies that protect communities, preserve water resources, and prevent electricity rate hikes while maintaining American leadership in AI.

The spending coincides with a surge in voter opposition to data center development. The sprawling facilities required for the AI boom have become a central issue in several states, prompting candidates to define their positions on local control and environmental impact.

In Kansas, the governor's race is viewed as a key target for Republicans. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report lists the contest as leaning Republican. Masterson has opposed moratoriums and voted for a 2025 law granting sales tax exemptions to data center investments.

Democratic candidate Holscher, who initially supported that law but now calls for a statewide moratorium, responded to the PAC's spending in a statement. She described Masterson as a "stooge for Big Tech" who intends to place data centers "on every corner and in every cornfield."

She argued that the spending reflects a desire to grant tax breaks to industry while costs rise for everyday residents. Holscher said, "These billionaire CEOs know that I won't do their bidding, and that's why they're spending millions to beat me."

In South Carolina, Graham has framed data center investments as a national security necessity while supporting local control. Her Democratic opponent, Annie Andrews, has called for a moratorium on new projects and has referred to Graham as "Data Center Darline."

Masterson did not immediately provide comment on the new funding. The PAC's dual strategy in Kansas and South Carolina underscores the growing influence of technology industry interests in shaping state-level policy on energy and land use.