Construction unions are threatening to withhold political support from candidates opposing data centers as project approvals face growing resistance ahead of the midterm elections- WSJ The Details: •    Union stance: Steamfitters UA Local 602 said it will not support politicians who oppose data-center facilities in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. •    Political shift: A Kansas union backed Republican state Sen. Ty Masterson for governor, partly because the Democratic candidate opposes data-center construction. •    Job growth: IBEW Local 26 reported members worked 28 million hours last year, versus 14 million hours a decade earlier. •    Industry response: Meta, OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft have invested in skilled-worker training or union partnerships amid construction labor shortages. 28-AUG-2026 11:20 AM ET