Three candidates vying for Montana’s U.S. Senate seat outlined competing visions for managing data center expansion and artificial intelligence regulation Saturday, with independent Seth Bodnar proposing strict community controls while his rivals offered different approaches to the emerging industry.
Bodnar released a six-point pledge in Helena on August 31 that would give local communities final authority over data center projects, require companies to absorb infrastructure costs without raising rates for existing electricity customers, mandate use of Montana workers in construction, and establish AI safety standards including protections for children’s online interactions. Bodnar stated his case plainly: “We need real guardrails put in place right now. We need people with plans, not people who just want to bury their heads in the sand or punt this problem down the road.”, as first reported by the Q2 News
Trump Weighs In; Candidates Respond
The data center debate took a national turn when President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that communities rejecting data centers would “end up being backwards and poor,” adding that companies should be allowed to operate freely if Montana sought prosperity and job creation. Trump’s comments reflected the administration’s push to streamline data center development as a cornerstone of AI infrastructure.
Republican Senate candidate Kurt Alme said decisions on data centers should remain with local communities while companies maintain transparency about electricity and water impacts. He acknowledged the federal government will need to consider AI regulations but did not detail his preferred approach. Libertarian nominee Kyle Austin criticized Trump’s characterization of communities skeptical of data center expansion.
Democratic candidate Alani Bankhead took the hardest line, calling for a moratorium on large data center projects. Her campaign dismissed Bodnar’s pledge as insufficient, arguing it would not prevent data center construction from proceeding. Bankhead stated simply: “I don’t want to manage this; I want to stop it.”, as first reported by the Q2 News
Policy Already in Motion
Montana’s approach to data centers is already shifting. Governor Greg Gianforte signed the “Ratepayer Protection Pledge,” an initiative outlined by the Trump administration that requires companies to cover costs of constructing and operating data centers without charging existing electricity customers for those expenses. The measure reflects a middle ground between development advocates and ratepayer protection.
Data center debates are intensifying in specific Montana communities. Broadview and Butte have both seen organized opposition to proposed facilities, with residents raising concerns about water usage, electrical demand, and long-term environmental impacts. These local conflicts are likely to shape how the candidates’ pledges and proposals resonate with voters.
The Senate race unfolds as Montana grapples with how to position itself in the national artificial intelligence boom. Data centers require enormous amounts of electricity and water—resources Montana possesses but must allocate carefully. The candidates’ positions reflect broader disagreements about whether the state should welcome tech industry expansion as an economic opportunity or implement safeguards to protect existing communities and ratepayers.
The June 2 primary and November 3 general election will determine which approach gains support among Montana voters. Bodnar’s independent status and detailed pledge attempt to chart a middle course between pro-development and anti-development camps, while Alme and Bankhead represent clearer Republican and Democratic positions on the industry’s proper role in the state.
