FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2026
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ICYMI: Billionaire Data Center Investor Vivek Ramaswamy Ignores Ohioans’ Calls for Data Center Moratorium
COLUMBUS, OH– Out-of-touch billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, who has personally invested millions of dollars in data centers, ignored Dr. Amy Acton’s urging for the Statehouse to pass immediate, bipartisan legislation to enact her conditional moratorium on data centers. They are instead focusing next week’s session on Dr. Acton’s calls for a gas tax holiday, neglecting the voices of Ohioans who demand action on data centers.
Vivek Ramaswamy is THE data center candidate. His campaign is bankrolled by his fellow data center investors and the data center industry itself, he has repeatedly called data centers “good,” and even flew his private jet to Utah for a “data center energy conference.”
See coverage below:
On the Airwaves:
On Spectrum News:
Anchor: “Democrat Amy Acton asked state lawmakers to take up the issue of data centers. Acton is asking them to pass a temporary moratorium on new facilities when they return to the Statehouse next week. She says new centers should not pass extra costs on to residents or involve non-disclosure agreements, and must be built with union labor and meet environmental standards.”
Anchor: “During an event discussing data centers this week, State Senator Willis Blackshear described Ramaswamy’s plan as weak, saying the Republican candidate has investments tied to the facilities.”
Senator Willis Blackshear: “He holds significant investments in essentially every link in the data center supply chain. As a State Senator, I have real worries about the conflicts of interest he would bring to the office, and what it would mean for our communities.”
On WBNS:
Anchor: “Now democratic candidate Amy Acton is also calling for a gas tax holiday because she says Ohioans are hurting… earlier this morning she released a statement calling on lawmakers to pass her conditional moratorium on data centers while they are back in session here at the Statehouse next week.”
Anchor: “In the statement, she said in part, ‘I am calling on lawmakers from across the aisle to come together and fight against the unchecked development of data centers driving up costs in our communities. I will always put the needs of working families over the wants of billionaires, corporations and special interests.’ Now Speaker Huffman and Senate President McColley both dismissed that idea and say they will be focused on the gas tax bill next week.”
On 90.3 WCPN:
Anchor: “Acton is now suggesting they take up another key issue in this close race: data centers.”
Reporter: “Acton said in a press release early Wednesday that lawmakers should also pass her data center moratorium next week to ‘fight against the unchecked development of data centers driving up costs in our communities.’”
In Print:
WFMJ: Calls come for Ohio to enact 12-month statewide moratorium on data centers
- …Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton has also called on the General Assembly to enact this moratorium.
- “While billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy has millions of dollars personally invested in data centers, I am calling on lawmakers from across the aisle to come together and fight against the unchecked development of data centers driving up costs in our communities,” Acton said in her release.
- As of this writing, Ramaswamy has not called for this moratorium.
Cleveland.com: As Ohio lawmakers return to tackle gas prices, data center opponents want a pause, too
- Asked Wednesday whether lawmakers would consider a data center moratorium when they return next week, House Speaker Matt Huffman and Senate President [and Vivek Ramaswamy’s running mate] Rob McColley did not say whether they would take one up. Instead, both criticized Acton’s call for a “conditional moratorium.”
- Acton outlined her conditions in July.
- Her plan would block new data centers unless they pay their own utility costs, use union workers, go on former industrial sites instead of farmland and share project details with communities.
Columbus Dispatch: Ohio lawmakers could vote on gas tax suspension next week
- When they return to Columbus, lawmakers aren’t planning to tackle other issues hitting Ohioans’ pocketbooks, such as property taxes or data centers. Acton called on lawmakers to pass a conditional moratorium on data centers while they are in Columbus.
- “Ohioans have been clear; we need to lower costs, which is why I am calling on our Statehouse to pass a conditional moratorium on data centers when they return to session next week,” Acton said.
Toledo Blade: Acton, activists urge vote on data centers alongside Ohio gas tax holiday
- Dr. Amy Acton and Conserve Ohio are encouraging the Ohio General Assembly to pass a data center moratorium when lawmakers return to Columbus next week.
- Dr. Acton, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, said her proposed “conditional moratorium” on data centers would help reduce energy costs for Ohioans.
- “My opponent is seconding my call to deliver Ohioans emergency relief at the gas pump, but we can’t stop there,” Dr. Acton said.
- Mr. Huffman said he’s only interested in addressing the gas tax holiday bill during the upcoming Ohio House session.
- “This issue is singular. It’s very clear to people what this is,” Mr. Huffman said.
- “When you start talking about the … over 1,000 bills introduced in the House and a lot in the Senate too, there’s hundreds of things we can talk about,” he continued. “Those usually end up in budget reconciliation bills and other things, and those things happen in lame duck.”
Statehouse News Bureau: Acton suggesting data center halt along with gas tax holiday, but Republicans dismiss that
- …Acton suggested that while lawmakers are in town, they should take up another key issue in this close race – data centers.
- But House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima), who appeared with Ramaswamy at the event to tout the Sept. 30 vote to enact the Ramaswamy-backed gas tax suspension, dismissed Acton’s demand.
Online:
@karenkasler: Democratic Ohio governor candidate Amy Acton calls on state lawmakers to pass her conditional moratorium on data centers when they reconvene next week – which they’re doing after she and then GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy a few later called for a gas tax holiday
@darreldrowland: Special pre-election Ohio legislative session next week will be a spectacle. Amy Acton wants GOP lawmakers to enact her proposed data center moratorium.
@wosunews: Acton suggesting data center halt along with gas tax holiday, but Republicans dismiss that
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