Last night, New York voted against Big Tech and the GOP agenda, reelecting Gov. Kathy Hochul and electing Democratic Rep. Cait Conley – the only NY-17 candidate to support a moratorium on data centers. By booting former fossil fuel lobbyist Mike Lawler out of NY-17, a key battleground district, New Yorkers have cemented utility rates, data center moratoria, and energy use as key issues statewide.
With a goal of lowering costs for working families, Conley supports a moratorium on data centers to protect Hudson Valley communities. Conley also promises to defend and expand essential programs like Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP), and clean water funding – as well as invest in clean energy like solar and wind.
Over the previous months, Food & Water Action organizers and volunteers knocked on over 15,500 doors and talked to at least 2,700 voters. Last night’s election shows that there are consequences for legislators who are friendly to Big Tech, and New York will vote them out.
Lawler, Conley’s opponent, has voted with Trump 100% of the time – cutting healthcare, food assistance, and clean water funding, and enabling handouts to the fossil fuel industry. He has neglected to oppose any of the new data centers built in Rockland County while he’s been in office. He has also voted to fast-track the financing, permitting, and construction of new hyper-scale AI data centers across the country.
Notably, Lisa Kaul, a Dutchess County legislator who championed East Fishkill’s three-year moratorium on data centers in reaction to one of the largest data center proposals in the state, successfully ousted incumbent State Senator Rob Rolison. This further showcases that opposition to data centers is a winning electoral issue in NY.
“Food & Water Action members are excited to work with Cait Conley to fight AI data centers, and finally have a representative in Congress who will work to lower our utility bills, defend and expand medicare and SNAP benefits, and protect clean water. From Orangetown to Ossining, we heard from thousands of voters about the importance of addressing these issues. Now we’ll work with our members and Cait Conley to find solutions,” said Laura Shindell, New York State Director of Food & Water Action.