News · Press Release

🚨 DATA CENTER DEREK’S VIP TOUR: Merrin Brings Mike Johnson to Campaign With a Leading Data Center Booster

While Defiance residents fight to keep data centers out of their community, Merrin is campaigning at the company of a CEO lobbying to bring them in.
Today, Republican Derek Merrin brought Speaker Mike Johnson to Defiance for a campaign event at a local manufacturer whose CEO, Bryan Keller, has been a major advocate for data centers in Ohio.

According to new reporting from The Toledo Blade, Keller is advocating against a November charter amendment that would ban large data centers within city limits and is developing a site on Elliott Road that residents worry could become home to a data center.

It’s the perfect backdrop for Data Center Derek, who supports the Big, Ugly Bill’s over $80 billion in tax breaks to data center developers. In 2017, Merrin voted for Ohio’s data center tax break scheme while in the State House. Since then, Ohio families have footed the bill for the $2.5 billion in state and local tax incentives that Ohio data centers have received.

Ohio voters have made clear where they stand. 75% of Ohio voters oppose a data center in their community, and 82% say a candidate’s stance on data centers will affect their vote in November. But when asked about his position, Merrin wouldn’t even comment.

DCCC Spokesperson Riya Vashi:
“Northwest Ohio families are fighting to keep data centers off their farmland and out of their electric bills. Meanwhile, Derek Merrin is rolling out the red carpet for Mike Johnson at the company of one of the region’s most vocal data center boosters. Data Center Derek already handed Big Tech billions in tax breaks, and Northwest Ohioans know exactly whose side he’s on. Come November, they’ll reject him again.”

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