Highlights Strong Record of Resisting Big Tech and Regulating Data Centers in Minnesota
FOR IMMIDIATE RELEASE
ST. PAUL, MN. — On Thursday, Senator Grant Hauschild released the first digital ad of his 2026 reelection campaign.
Hauschild’s message to voters in Senate District 3 focuses on his first-term record of putting people first over greedy Big Tech corporations.
In the ad, “Really Big,” Hauschild discusses the environmental and economic risk of super-sized data centers moving into Minnesotans’ backyards. The ad highlights Hauschild’s votes to rein in data center projects and protect consumers in contrast to his opponent who has no plan to regulate or rein in these data centers.
In his role on the tax committee, Hauschild advocated for an excise tax on the world’s largest social media companies who mine and profit off our data, in order to fund core services that address the negative impacts on children’s mental health. Hauschild also championed legislation to ban local elected officials from entering into non-disclosure agreements related to data center development. In the Senate, he passed nation-leading legislation to ban apps that use AI to create nonconsensual nude images, and a new law establishing parental controls, data privacy, and protections against addictive features in social media used by children.
The Northland needs a Senator who is ready to serve and understands the issues facing our communities. Andrea Zupancich has repeatedly punted on data centers, one of the most consequential issues of this election, and is still learning about it. That doesn’t cut it for Senate District 3.
Transcript of “Really Big”
I’m Grant Hauschild. And we thought we’d show you what can happen with data centers.
First, they’re really big: One building can be forty acres. They can be noisy! [They] use up a lot of water and a lot of electricity.
Andrea Zupancich doesn’t support regulating data centers in the Northland.
In the state Senate, we passed the strongest regulations on data centers in the country, and made sure your energy rates don’t go up.
Because I don’t work for Big Tech. I work for you.
ABOUT GRANT HAUSCHILD
Grant Hauschild represents Senate District 3 in the Minnesota Senate, which includes the Arrowhead, Iron Range, North Shore, and much of the Northland. First elected to the Senate in 2022, Hauschild has focused on delivering results for rural communities, supporting working people, families and seniors, strengthening local economies, standing up to Big Tech, and making sure Northern Minnesota receives its fair share of state investment.
Hauschild has delivered on priorities ranging from the cost of living, to rural healthcare, jobs, and preventing fraud. He championed the creation of Minnesota’s new independent Office of Inspector General to be a government watchdog and protect taxpayer dollars. He was instrumental in stabilizing rural emergency medical services by securing new funding and a Northern Minnesota Sprint medic pilot program, and delivered millions of dollars in public safety funding for local police and fire departments across the Northland.
Hauschild has also helped deliver historic tax relief, including the largest Social Security tax relief legislation in Minnesota history, ensuring that over 80% of Minnesota seniors no longer pay income tax on their benefits. In 2026 he secured $125 million in property tax relief for Minnesota households.
In 2024 he led the work on permitting and regulatory reform to strengthen Minnesota’s competitiveness while protecting the environment. Hauschild also delivered over $80 million in state capital investment for critical infrastructure projects for Northland residents.
Before serving in the Senate, Hauschild worked in rural economic development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and as a labor policy aide for U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, before serving on the Hermantown City Council. He and his wife Grace live in Hermantown with their two children.
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