Kansas governor contest draws super PAC money tied to AI industry

A super PAC organized to promote data center development has committed more than $1.5 million to support Republican state Sen. Ty Masterson in the Kansas governor's race, according to a person familiar with the spending who shared details with NBC News on Monday. The contest turns on how fast the state should accept the large facilities built to power artificial intelligence operations.

The group, Building the Future, is an offshoot of Leading the Future, a super PAC supported by major AI companies. The New York Times reported earlier Monday that Building the Future also plans to spend about $1.5 million on advertising for Republican Sen. Darline Graham in the South Carolina Senate race. In August, Build American AI, a nonprofit in the same network, announced an advertising campaign in Kansas, Ohio and Wisconsin and said it was forming Building the Future. The group said it would back candidates who support "responsible policies that strengthen and protect communities, preserve water resources, and prevent rate hikes on electricity bills, while ensuring American leadership in AI and creating good-paying jobs for American workers."

Masterson has opposed moratoriums on data center construction and voted for a 2025 Kansas law that exempts data center investments from sales tax. His opponent, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, also voted for that law but has since called for a statewide moratorium. In a statement Monday, Holscher called Masterson a "stooge for Big Tech" who wants "to put a data center on every corner and in every cornfield." She added, "These billionaire CEOs know that I won't do their bidding, and that's why they're spending millions to beat me. But I'll keep fighting for guardrails on data centers, and I'll always put Kansans first." Masterson did not immediately provide comment for this article.

Kansas is one of few Democratic-held governorships Republicans can contest this fall, and the Cook Political Report lists the race as leaning Republican. The state also has a competitive Senate race involving Republican Sen. Roger Marshall and Democratic pastor Adam Hamilton. In South Carolina, Graham has framed data center investment as necessary for national security while supporting local control over construction; Democratic opponent Annie Andrews has called for a moratorium on new projects and labeled Graham "Data Center Darline."