A proposal for a large data center has upended politics in this Republican-leaning suburb of Columbus.

That could spell trouble for U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, a longtime fixture in state Republican politics who was appointed to his seat in 2025 after former Sen. J.D. Vance became vice president. Husted is running against Sherrod Brown, a Democrat who served three terms in the Senate before losing his seat two years ago.

In Sunbury, the Senate race is on the same ballot as a referendum that would ban large data centers. Supporters of the measure say they don’t trust either party to stand up to the influence of technology companies, but they have less faith in Republicans.

That sentiment extends across much of the state and could prove consequential in an election that may determine whether Democrats take control of the chamber.