The Minnesota Star Tribune reports...

Construction unions build data centers, and the projects are particularly lucrative for blue-collar workers. As a result, trade unions are divided in the First Congressional District. Some have backed Johnson, while others endorsed Finstad, a two-term Republican from New Ulm who has said data centers can benefit local communities and that Congress should not ban them in cities that want them.

It’s the latest example of how data centers and AI are shaping politics — not just the economy. And it’s another source of friction between trade unions and Democrats in Minnesota, as labor groups grapple with a large faction of DFLers who oppose big construction projects such as copper-nickel mines and oil pipelines.

“On one side we have the folks that support our rights to collectively bargain and labor standards,” said Tom Dicklich, executive director of the Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council. “On the other side, [Republicans] may not do that, but they support the projects.”

The article continues to outline perspectives from various Congressional races in Minnesota looking at how candidates approach the data center issue.