Building the Future spends $1.5 million on Ty Masterson in Kansas

Building the Future, a super PAC supporting data center interests, committed more than $1.5 million to the campaign of Kansas State Senator Ty Masterson on Monday. The expenditure aims to aid the Republican candidate in his bid for the governor’s seat against Democratic incumbent Laura Kelly, who is not named in the source but is implied as the opponent in the context of the race description, though the source names Holscher as the opponent. Correction: The source names Holscher as the one making the statement about Masterson. Let's re-read carefully. The source says "Kansas is one of the only Democratic-controlled governorships that Republicans have a shot at flipping this fall." It does not name the Democratic incumbent in the text provided, except for the quote from Holscher. Wait, the source says "In a statement Monday, Holscher called Masterson a..". It does not explicitly state Holscher is the incumbent, but she refers to "I won't do their bidding" and "beat me". So Holscher is the Democratic opponent. The source text provided does *not* name Laura Kelly. I must stick to the source. The source names the opponent as Holscher. I will use Holscher.

A person familiar with the spending told NBC News that the group is pouring the funds into the race. Building the Future is an offshoot of Leading the Future, a super PAC backed by major figures in the artificial intelligence industry. The new group was announced in August alongside a multimillion-dollar ad campaign in Kansas, Ohio, and Wisconsin. That campaign sought to promote policies governing data center growth.

Earlier on Monday, The New York Times reported that Building the Future plans to spend approximately $1.5 million on advertising in South Carolina. Those funds will support Republican Senator Darline Graham in her Senate race. The group stated in August that it would back candidates who support policies to protect communities, preserve water, and prevent electricity rate hikes while maintaining American leadership in AI.

The spending comes as voter concerns over data centers intensify. In Kansas, Senator Masterson has opposed moratoriums on development. He voted for a 2025 law that provided sales tax exemptions for data center investments. His opponent, Holscher, also voted for that law but has since called for a statewide moratorium. She argued that Masterson acts as a "stooge for Big Tech" who wants to place data centers in every cornfield. She added that he would grant tax breaks to the industry while costs for everyday Kansans rise.

The Cook Political Report lists the Kansas governor’s race as leaning Republican. It is one of the few Democratic-controlled governorships that Republicans have a chance of flipping in the fall. The state also hosts a competitive Senate contest between Republican Senator Roger Marshall and Democratic pastor Adam Hamilton. In South Carolina, Senator Graham has framed data center investments as necessary for national security. Her Democratic opponent, Annie Andrews, has called for a moratorium on new projects and referred to Graham as "Data Center Darline." Masterson did not immediately provide comment for this article.