Good morning, it’s Tuesday, May 5, 2026. In today’s edition, data center opposition gets political; redistricting sessions opening in Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee as DeSantis signs new maps; Election Day in Indiana, Ohio:
Top Stories
ENERGY: Growing opposition to data center construction is increasingly becoming an issue in primary and general election contests. Polls show bipartisan concerns about data centers and the rise of AI, and candidates in states like Georgia, Pennsylvania and Michigan have embraced calls to halt new building. Lawmakers in Maine approved a moratorium on data center construction before Gov. Janet Mills (D) vetoed it. Similar bills have bene introduced in at least 10 other states. (Pluribus News)
REDISTRICTING: The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to fast-track its decision in Louisiana v. Callais, sending it immediately to lower courts. The decision may allow Louisiana to redraw congressional district lines after Gov. Jeff Landry (R) delayed U.S. House primaries last week. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented. (New York Times)
We wrote about the fallout from the Callais decision, and how it’s likely to reshape state legislatures and local governments for years to come.
MORE: Louisiana lawmakers will meet Friday to begin considering new map lines. (Louisiana Illuminator) Tennessee lawmakers will meet today in an attempt to carve up a Memphis-area seat held by U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D). (State Affairs) Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has signed congressional redistricting legislation that could net the GOP up to four more seats in Congress. Opponents have already sued over the map, alleging it violates a fair districting amendment voters approved in 2010. (State Affairs)
EVEN MORE: Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall (R) has filed an emergency motion with the 11th Circuit seeking to use state Senate district maps from 2021. Those maps were blocked by a district court that ordered the state to draw an additional Black-majority district in the Montgomery area. (AL.com) The legislature gaveled into special session on Monday to begin considering new maps that could eliminate two Black-majority congressional seats. (Alabama Reflector)
GUN POLITICS: Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) has signed legislation banning 3D-printed guns. The bill expands an existing ban on firearms without serial numbers to include a ban on the use of 3D printers or computerized milling machines to manufacture firearms or components. (Denver Post)
IMMIGRATION: The Massachusetts Senate has advanced legislation limiting state law enforcement agencies from joining 287(g) agreements with ICE. The measure bans state and local law enforcement from engaging in civil immigration enforcement. A House version would bar ICE agents from making arrests at courthouses without a warrant. (Boston Herald)
INSURANCE: California is seeking millions from State Farm after an investigation found the company was slow to look into underpayment claims stemming from wildfires in Los Angeles in 2025. California sampled 220 random claims filed to State Farm and found about 400 alleged violations. (Associated Press)
In Politics & Business
It’s Election Day in Indiana, where President Trump’s control over the GOP will be tested in state Senate races, and in Ohio, where candidates have spent nearly $46 million on primary contests so far. Check out preview stories from our colleagues at Howey Politics Indiana and Gongwer Ohio.
GEORGIA: A Remington Research poll finds businessman Rick Jackson (R) statistically tied with Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R), 29% to 28%. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger lags at 14%. (Remington) An Atlanta Journal Constitution poll finds former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) leading the Democratic field at 39%, followed by former DeKalb County CEO Mike Thurmond (D) at 10%, former Sen. Jason Esteves (D) at 8% and former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (D) at 7%. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
CALIFORNIA: A SurveyUSA poll shows former Fox News contributor Steve Hilton (R) at 20%, followed by former hedge fund manager Tom Steyer (D) at 18%, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco (R) at 12% and former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra at 10%. (SurveyUSA)
The end of Becerra-mentum? Or just an outlier?
NEW MEXICO: An Albuquerque Journal survey finds former Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull (R) leading the GOP gubernatorial field with 30% of the vote. Businessman Doug Turner (R) comes in with 21%, followed by medical cannabis company owner Duke Rodriguez (R) at 9%. Fully 40% of GOP voters are undecided. (Albuquerque Journal)
RHODE ISLAND: State House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi (D) is expected to step down this week to apply for a seat on the state Supreme Court. His exit will pave the way for Rep. Christopher Blazejewski (D) to ascend to the speakership. (Boston Globe)
By The Numbers
$1.079 billion: The tax revenue Arkansas collected in April, nearly 14% over budget estimates. Total revenue for the first ten months of the fiscal year is up 4.1% over the same period the year before. (Talk Business & Politics)
71: The number of Alaskans who were killed in ATV accidents between 2019 and 2024. Alaskans die from ATV accidents at a rate four times higher than residents in the rest of the United States. (Alaska Department of Health)
Off The Wall
Connecticut drivers will soon be able to tout their home state’s pizza prowess. The state budget, approved by lawmakers last week, will allow the creation of a new vanity license plate labeling Connecticut the “Pizza State.” (CT Insider)
Burney Falls, a 129-foot cascade in Northern California, is now so popular it requires reservations. State park officials will offer 103 parking passes for morning visits, another 103 for afternoon trips, and 35 passes for the entire day. President Theodore Roosevelt once called the falls the Eighth Wonder of the World. (Los Angeles Times)
Quote of the Day
“We are seeing too much reckless behavior, more crashes and close calls, and too many people, especially pedestrians and young riders, are at risk.”
— Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D), calling for new regulations on e-bikes, scooters and mopeds. (State Affairs)