By J. Holly McCall | Editor-in-Chief
Good morning, Lookout readers:
Hope may not be a strategy but it’s helpful for getting through life in difficult times and we start this morning with an iota of hope about data centers.
Anita Wadhwani and Cassandra Stephenson report Gov. Bill Lee is one of a batch of Republican governors who signed a Trump-backed pledge to hold data center operators responsible for operating costs of the centers, including construction.
Of course, that does nothing about the noise generated by the gas turbines that power the data centers nor does do anything to ameliorate environmental impacts. It also doesn’t provide any regulation over the centers which are popping up across the state, where six measures that would provide guidance on the centers shot down in the legislature.
But with prices rising for gas, groceries and other utilities, we’ll grasp onto any hope that taxpayers won’t be saddled with another expense.
In other news:
Endorsement alert: On Friday, former Gov. Phil Bredesen, who served from 2002 to 2010, endorsed Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder in the Democratic primary for the 5th Congressional District.
Ad watch: U.S. Rep. John Rose’s latest ad in the race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination is titled “Tight,” in which he accuses his chief rival, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, of “attacking me with crazy stuff.”
Ad watch, part two: Blackburn also has a new ad out called “Learn,” which touts her plan to ban cell phones in schools.
It’s such a good idea that in 2025, Gov. Bill Lee signed into law a measure requiring schools to create policies banning cell phone use by school students.
THE LOOKOUT’S TOP STORY
by Cassandra Stephenson and Anita Wadhwani
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee last week joined 22 Republican governors in signing onto President Donald Trump’s “Ratepayer Protection Pledge,” a voluntary agreement to hold companies responsible for the costs of building, maintaining and powering data centers.
NEWS AND NOTES
Flood of poll watchers, observers, monitors to descend on midterm voters | David Lightman, States Newsroom
Suit alleges Homeland Security targeted people observing, protesting immigration agents | Jacob Fischler, States Newsroom
COMMENTARY: ‘E pluribus unum’ is not a slogan. It’s a choice. | Tim Storey, National Conference of State Legislatures and Sue Urahn, Pew Charitable Trusts
COMMENTARY
Campaign ads from two Republican candidates for Congress in Tennessee’s 6th District have exposed more Middle Tennesseans than events like Pride parades, including Nashville’s 2025 parade featuring Mystique, pictured here, ever could. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
by Chris Sanders, Tennessee Equality Project
Missing “RuPaul’s Drag Race"? Looking for your next drag fix? Look no further than Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District Republican primary, in which former congressman Van Hilleary and state Rep. Johnny Garrett are featuring a bevy of drag queens — both real and AI-generated — in their campaign ads and exposing more Tennesseans to drag than would otherwise be possible.
ICYMI
Thanks for reading The Daily Lookout. Did you know our weekend digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.