Candidates for WV’s 2nd congressional district seat support different legislation for data centers
Moore said he cosponsored and voted for federal legislation addressing the costs of electricity infrastructure for data centers.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYWest Virginia Watch is a local news outlet with an identified reporter, and the story attributes statements to the candidates, a civic group and other critics. The article also identifies a gap in its reporting by noting that Moore’s campaign did not answer a follow-up question.
- Source type — Local news outlet reporting on a state congressional race and policy issue.
- Author attribution — A named reporter is credited.
- Editorial standards — The story attributes statements and distinguishes reported claims from the article’s own narration.
- Transparency — The article discloses that Moore’s campaign did not respond to a follow-up question.
The article includes statements from both candidates, describes the competing proposals and reports the House vote and Democratic criticism of the bill. It also includes an outside advocacy-group perspective, though it provides limited independent analysis of the proposals’ likely effects.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The story gives both candidates a voice and includes criticism of the federal bill and concerns about data-center development. It offers less detail from supporters of the existing state incentives or the federal bill’s defenders, leaving some perspectives underrepresented.
- Source diversity — Includes both candidates, Democratic critics and a civic group representative.
- Counterarguments presented — The article presents criticism of the Ratepayer Protection Act but limited responses to that criticism.
- Omitted context — Supporters’ arguments for the state incentives and the federal bill receive little independent elaboration.
- Loaded language — Most charged descriptions are attributed to their speakers.
The article presents the candidates’ approaches and data-center concerns in comparatively neutral language, attributing criticism and policy claims to their sources. It does not clearly favor either candidate or policy position.
- Language tone — Mostly descriptive language, with evaluative claims attributed to sources.
- Source selection — Includes statements from both candidates, Democratic critics and a climate and energy advocate.
- Framing — Frames the issue as a contrast between candidates’ proposals amid concerns about data-center effects.
West Virginia’s 2nd District candidates are backing different approaches to data-center development: Ace Parsi proposes a pause and local approval requirements, while Rep. Riley Moore supports the federal Ratepayer Protection Act. The debate comes amid concerns about energy costs, environmental effects and local control.
Parsi said he would introduce the Neighbors, Not Servers Act if elected. His proposal would pause construction of new large data centers while a national study examines their costs, require a local vote before a project proceeds, and prohibit nondisclosure agreements between developers and public officials. He said communities should have a say in projects that affect them.
Moore is a cosponsor of the Ratepayer Protection Act and said he voted for it in the House. The bill passed the House 417 to 3; the article reports that Democrats blocked it during a Senate vote, arguing it does not require states to make data centers cover added electricity costs. The candidates’ positions come as West Virginia promotes data-center development and opponents raise concerns about power bills, water use and local control.
Community verdict
18 VOTESPeople in this story
SWIPE →U.S. representative and supporter of the Ratepayer Protection Act
Democratic candidate proposing data-center legislation
Parsi's version of this story ↗Democratic primary runner-up
West Virginia governor whose priority bill incentivized data-center development
Part of a bigger story
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