Who Decides Where AI Data Centers Get Built Near Bethlehem? Bob Brooks and the 2026 House Race

What AI Data Centers Mean for Bethlehem Ratepayers

If you live in Bethlehem, you are in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, and AI data centers have become a pocketbook issue in the 2026 US House race there. Bob Brooks, the Democratic candidate, treats the question as one of both cost and control: he opposes letting data centers raise energy costs while out-of-state corporations get rich. He spent two decades with the Bethlehem Fire Department and serves as president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association.

Where the Two Candidates Split on Data Centers and Power Costs

Brooks says the federal government should never take the decision of where a data center is built away from the residents who live near it. The Republican incumbent in the race backs the Ratepayer Protection Act, a cost-allocation bill that would have states consider making large data centers pay for the grid upgrades they require, and he says local governments will shoulder the primary burden on data center concerns. As a state representative, that incumbent also voted for a sales tax exemption for data centers in 2021 and to extend it for up to 25 years in 2022. Brooks’ answer at the federal level is different: he has pledged to fight for legislation in Congress mirroring Gov. Shapiro’s executive order on data centers.

The Choice for Bethlehem on November 3

Bob Brooks is the right choice for Bethlehem voters who want data center decisions kept local and energy costs kept from being handed to working households. His record of service in the Lehigh Valley and his positions on siting and costs make that case plainly. Register to vote by October 19, 2026, and make a plan to vote on November 3.