Virginia’s Democrat Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger is pushing a “fair share” energy taxation scheme targeting data centers that could stifle the state’s booming tech sector and drive businesses to more competitive states.
Story Snapshot
- Spanberger warns of an “energy crisis” while proposing new taxes on data centers, despite the $1 billion in tax revenue they generated.
- Virginia power bills are already up 7% as Democrat policies in neighboring states drive up regional energy costs.
- The new Governor’s plan could undermine Virginia’s competitive advantage in the AI boom with additional regulatory burdens.
- Spanberger defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears by 14 points, bringing more Democrat governance to Virginia.
Democrat Governor Targets Virginia’s Economic Winners
Spanberger announced her intention to impose additional financial burdens on data centers, the very industry that brought Virginia $1 billion in tax revenue in 2024. Her “fair share” rhetoric mirrors the same anti-business policies that have driven companies from blue states to more business-friendly environments.
Rather than celebrating Virginia’s position as home to the world’s largest concentration of data centers during the AI revolution, Spanberger views this economic success as a problem requiring government intervention.
Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger warns state heading toward "energy crisis" – CBS News https://t.co/AqqIuaqJOM
— Adrienne Bradley (@music4everrrrrr) November 9, 2025
Energy Crisis Rooted in Failed Democrat Policies
Spanberger acknowledged that “bad energy policies in some of our neighboring states” have driven up prices, particularly affecting southwest Virginia. This admission reveals how Democrat-led environmental restrictions and renewable energy mandates in surrounding states create regional price pressures.
Instead of learning from these policy failures, Spanberger proposes expanding government control over energy markets through increased regulation and targeted taxation of successful businesses.
Business-Killing Regulations Threaten Virginia’s Competitive Edge
The incoming governor’s multi-pronged approach includes forcing data centers to pay additional costs for electricity generation and transmission infrastructure.
This represents classic Democrat thinking: punish success and create new bureaucratic hurdles for job creators. Virginia’s current advantage in attracting data center investments stems from its business-friendly environment, which Spanberger’s policies could quickly erode, sending future investments to states like Texas or Florida.
Conservative Principles Abandoned for Government Expansion
Spanberger’s energy affordability plan expands government subsidy programs for low-income residents while simultaneously increasing costs for businesses that create jobs and generate tax revenue.
This approach ignores market-based solutions that could actually reduce energy costs, such as streamlining permitting for new energy production and reducing regulatory barriers.
Her victory over Republican Winsome Earle-Sears signals Virginia’s continued drift toward big-government policies that prioritize wealth redistribution over economic growth and individual prosperity.
