Data Centers: Where do Acton and Ramaswamy Stand?

COLUMBUS, OH — Data centers have become one of the fastest-moving issues of the 2026 Ohio governor's race. Amy Acton recently proposed a conditional moratorium on data centers unless certain safeguards are met. Vivek Ramaswamy opposes a moratorium or ban and has long championed the industry.

Innovation Ohio is releasing a detailed comparison of where both candidates actually stand on the specific policy decisions Ohio's next governor will control.

The next governor will appoint all five members of the Public Utilities Commission, which sets utility rates. They will decide whether to make permanent or lift Governor DeWine's executive pause on $1.6 billion in annual data center tax breaks. And they will set the terms under which data centers enter Ohio communities, including whether the construction and operation jobs they create go to Ohio union workers under community benefit agreements, or whether labor standards are left entirely to the companies. These decisions will determine whether Ohio families and workers benefit from the data center boom or simply pay for it.

"Big Tech is spending tens of millions of dollars to try to determine who sits in the governor's office and controls the policies that affect their bottom line," said Michael McGovern, President of Innovation Ohio. "Ohio families deserve to know exactly what each candidate has committed to before they vote, and not just the talking points, but the specific, verifiable commitments on the decisions that will show up on their electric bills."

The report examines on-the-record commitments from both candidates on key policies related to data center development including energy generation, ratepayer protections, tax breaks, regulatory oversight, local control, environmental protections, community benefits and labor standards. The policy comparison reflects public statements available as of July 27, 2026.