Republican Utah State Senate president loses primary after championing large data center

The Republican president of the Utah Senate, who supported a large data center that is planned for construction next to the Great Salt Lake, was defeated in the state primary on Tuesday night. 

J. Stuart Adams was one of the longest-serving and influential politicians in Utah, and he had won previous reelection bids with very little opposition, the New York Times reported. 

Adams lost the primary on Tuesday to challenger Stephanie Hollist, a former university lawyer, who ran on a campaign of opposition to the data center project in Box Elder County. Hollist accused Adams and Utah's political establishment of ignoring their constituent's wishes in voting to approve the data center, and she said the process lacked transparency. 

Thousands of angry Utah voters, most of whom are Republican, voiced opposition to the center over concerns about its water and energy usage. They also accused state officials of ignoring the public's concerns while handing the project generous tax breaks. 

Adams served as chairman of a state agency that approved the initial plans for the project, known as Stratos. His association with that approval and his general support for the project made him the focus of the controversy. 

Adams was first appointed to the Utah Senate in 2009 and won election and later won election to the seat in 2010. He's served as president of the Senate since 2019.