Voters in key midterm races push back on data centers, and the U.S. strikes Iranian oil tankers: Weekend Rundown

Dawn Vogel, a Republican county supervisor in rural Iowa, doesn’t have a lot in common with the leading democratic socialists in Congress. But on this bit of policy they agree: Data centers are proliferating across the American landscape too fast.

Vogel voted earlier this year for a moratorium that temporarily bans data centers from setting up shop in her heavily Republican county, which favored President Donald Trump 63%-35% in 2024.

“I don’t think this is a Republican or Democratic issue,” Vogel said on the sidelines of the Iowa State Association of Counties’ annual conference in late August, adding that she hasn’t talked to a single voter at home who wants data centers.

An NBC News Decision Desk Poll powered by SurveyMonkey, conducted from Aug. 20 through Sept. 1, found that 69% of respondents oppose the construction of AI data centers in their local area, with 45% saying they “strongly oppose” the idea.

The U.S. military said its forces struck three Iranian oil tankers Saturday after Iran launched ballistic missiles toward two Navy ships.

A U.S. aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer evaded multiple attacks by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and no American personnel were harmed, Central Command said.

CENTCOM said…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/health