Stacy Garrity walks data center tight rope while campaigning in Western Pa.

Stacy Garrity is toeing the political line on data centers.

At a campaign stop in a cramped Cranberry office building Tuesday, the Republican gubernatorial candidate expressed some support for data center projects in the name of national security and economic revitalization. She also tried to cast herself as somewhat of an industry skeptic — though her proposed regulatory framework remains hazy.

The discussion in Cranberry with local business and political leaders came against a backdrop of growing public outcry against the rapidly expanding data center industry, largely driven by artificial intelligence development. A Muhlenberg College poll released this spring showed 64% of Pennsylvanians viewed data center development as a crisis or problem.

The discussion also came with polls showing Garrity trailing incumbent Gov. Josh Shapiro by more than 20 percentage points in this year’s race for governor.

“I don’t think this issue is going away any time soon, particularly over the next six months,” said Garrity, a Republican from Bradford County who is in her second term as state treasurer.

Garrity spent much of Tuesday’s session in Cranberry criticizing the policies of Shapiro, a Democrat from Montgomery County. She castigated him for his support of the data center industry and accused him of failing to provide more guidance to local governments across the state.

Shapiro — who has celebrated data center investments in Pennsylvania — backs a recently passed state House bill that would establish stricter transparency and environmental requirements for data center developers seeking state sales tax exemptions.

Garrity said she favors eliminating those tax breaks altogether, which is what another bill that recently passed the House would do. While that bill was sponsored almost entirely by Democrats, it passed the House with almost unanimous support.

Neither bill has been taken up by the Republican-controlled state Senate.

Garrity’s hallmark data center policy appears to be calling for an indefinite pause on development of the centers. She said that would give local governments time to craft protective ordinances ahead of any project proposals.

“Basically, the pause is so we can get it right,” she said.

It’s unclear how exactly a pause would work or how Garrity would regulate the expanding industry once the would-be pause is lifted.

Garrity’s campaign website does not offer any concrete data center plans.

On Tuesday, Garrity said she would seek to eliminate tax breaks for projects, encourage community benefits agreements and compel developers to bring their own power and water for data center proposals.

At the same time, Garrity said the state should not play a major part in reining in the industry. That should be left largely to local governments with guidance from Harrisburg, Garrity said.

Garrity criticized Shapiro-backed efforts to provide “model ordinances” to municipalities, saying the governor was opting for a “one size fits all” solution.

“We absolutely have to get government out of the way,” Garrity said.

When pressed, Garrity said the state could offer suggestions to municipalities rather than trying to regulate the industry from Harrisburg. During Tuesday’s session, some county officials expressed concern about having to contend with developers with deep pockets and specialized legal teams defending their interests.

“I think (the state) can suggest the regulatory framework. I think there’s certain standards you have to uphold, and I think if you have a data center developer that comes in and tries to steamroll a local township, then you have a responsibility to help the local solicitor,” Garrity said.

Butler County Commissioners Leslie Osche and Kimberly Geyer, both Republicans, expressed reservations about the potential expansion of the data center industry into their county. They spoke in support of Garrity’s policies and criticized the Shapiro administration’s.

After the session, Osche said she’d like to see to see the state involved in regulating the data center industry when it comes to its effect on the power grid. Otherwise, she said, local governments should be left to place their own guardrails.

Manuel Bonder, a spokesman for Shapiro’s reelection campaign, pushed back on Garrity’s criticisms, saying in a statement that the governor has worked with “community, labor and environmental leaders” to craft proposed data center regulations.

Bonder called Garrity a “desperate politician” and criticized her for “supporting completely unregulated data center development.”

In Tuesday’s other campaign stop, Garrity toured the Bon Tool Co. in West Deer. The third-generation, family-owned company employs about 70 people.

“It’s great to go see people where they’re at and see what their challenges are,” Garrity said after touring the manufacturing facility and warehouse. “Everywhere we go, it’s really (about finding more) skilled labor.”

She pointed to projections from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry showing the state faces a shortage of more than 300,000 skilled trade workers by 2030.

“When I was in the private sector, we had the same issue,” Garrity said. “Now, it’s just more exacerbated than it previously was.”