An Oklahoma state representative who pushed for a law to help protect electric ratepayers from the effects of data centers won the Republican nomination Tuesday to serve on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
State Rep. Brad Boles is set to face Democratic nominee Rhonda Eastman in November’s general election. Eastman argues that Republicans haven’t done enough to protect the public from the downsides of industrial development in a state long known for oil and gas.
Republicans have controlled Oklahoma’s government for years, including the three-member Corporation Commission. The commission plays a powerful role in the Sooner State, regulating a broad swath of the economy — from utility companies to oil and gas operators. The rise of data centers to power artificial intelligence has only increased its importance.
“I’m looking forward to … meeting with constituents all over the state, giving our message about what we think we can do at the Corporation Commission, and also hearing from others on what they think that we can improve at the Corporation Commission,” Boles said in an interview Tuesday.
