Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, Michigan
On your ballot U.S. Senate, Michigan (certified list (opens in a new tab), verified October 9, 2026)
Photo: Conlan Houston, CC BY SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab), cropped.
Checked · How the record reads leaders · Report a change · Corrections
Of 8 statements on the record, 5 raised concerns about data centers and 3 carry no label.
Labels are applied by the record's published rules: two readings of each statement, and a third that reads its source where the two differ. Every label sits beside its statement and its source, and any label can be challenged through Report a change, with the correction logged on the corrections page.
What they said
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Abdul El Sayed released terms of engagement for data centers in January 2026 and supports state and local moratoriums
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: September 25, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- Planet Detroit (opens in a new tab), local outlet
- WCMU Public Media (opens in a new tab), local outlet
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Abdul El Sayed called for state and local moratoriums on new data center facilities until federal rules require union jobs, prevent utility bill increases, protect water resources and fund power grid investments
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: September 25, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- newsweek.com (opens in a new tab), national outlet
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El Sayed calls for state and local moratorium on data centers until conditions are met
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: September 10, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- The Eastern Echo (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: Both readings of the statement agreed. The words that set it: "calls for state and local moratorium on data centers until conditions are met".
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Abdul El Sayed states his conditions for University of Michigan data center: all union labor, no utility rate increases, no water use, revenue investment in reliability, and community benefits agreement
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source. Label set by a tiebreak.
Where & When: September 10, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- The Eastern Echo (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: A tiebreak: the two first readings differed, and a third reading of the statement and its source decided. The words that set it: "Until we get that, and I want that in federal legislation, I do think we need state and local moratorium.".
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Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El Sayed of Ann Arbor has been a vocal critic of data center projects.
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: August 31, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- The Detroit News (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: No label: the words are not clearly the speaker's own. Both readings of the statement held it.
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Michigan Democratic Senate hopeful Abdul El Sayed criticized lack of transparency from Big Tech corporations on data center buildout
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: August 25, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- The New Republic (opens in a new tab), national outlet
Label rationale: Both readings of the statement agreed. The words that set it: "criticized lack of transparency from Big Tech corporations on data center buildout".
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Abdul El Sayed stated there is no real regulation of data centers and corporations are so deep in the pockets of politicians who should regulate them
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: August 21, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- National Desk (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: Both readings of the statement agreed. The words that set it: "no real regulation of data centers and corporations are so deep in the pockets of politicians who should regulate them".
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Democrat Abdul El Sayed has advocated for strict federal guidelines for data center facilities but has stopped short of calling for a ban
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source. Label set by a tiebreak.
Where & When: August 21, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- National Desk (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: A tiebreak: the two first readings differed, and a third reading of the statement and its source decided. The words that set it: "has advocated for strict federal guidelines for data center facilities but has stopped short of calling for a ban".
How they voted
No vote on a data center measure on the record.
Others in this race
- Elissa Slotkin Democratic · U.S. Senate · the race page
- Mike Rogers Republican · U.S. Senate · the race page
- Lydia Christensen Libertarian Party · U.S. Senate · the race page
- Walter P. Kristy Natural Law Party · U.S. Senate · the race page
- Tim Long U.S. Taxpayers Party · U.S. Senate · the race page
- Douglas P. Marsh Green Party · U.S. Senate · the race page
Something missing?
Know a sourced statement by Abdul El-Sayed on data centers that is not here? Send the link. It goes to the record's inbox as a card routed to this person and publishes only after it is read against its source.
Are you Abdul El-Sayed or on the campaign? Ask for a correction or send a statement, or email corrections@datacenterrecord.org.
Related
Projects named in these statements
Data Center Record, "Public statements by Abdul El-Sayed", https://datacenterrecord.org/speakers/abdul-el-sayed, last verified October 20, 2026.
Reusing this page
The structured rows are CC BY-NC 4.0. Link to this page; that is what turns a reuse into a citation. Prose stays under copyright.
Last verified: October 12, 2026.