Virginia Senate Voter Guide: Warner and Mizusawa on Data Centers and Health Care
Two candidates are on the ballot for U.S. Senate in Virginia on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026: Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, who is seeking a fourth term, and Republican Bert Mizusawa, a retired U.S. Army major general.
The Digital Free Press voter guide video compares the two candidates on data centers and health care. Here is where each one stands, based on the video, the candidates' own words, Warner's Senate record and Virginia reporting.
Most of the positions in the video match separate interviews both candidates gave the Virginia Mercury, published Oct. 14. The Loudoun Times-Mirror also interviewed both candidates on data centers, and VPM published a written candidate survey.
Why Data Centers and Health Care Are Issues
Data centers, their demand for power and water, and who pays for the grid upgrades they need have become one of the most debated issues in Virginia this election season, the Virginia Mercury and the Loudoun Times-Mirror reported. Both Senate candidates were asked about them.
On health care, the 2025 federal tax-and-spending law will cut federal Medicaid spending by $911 billion over 10 years, according to a KFF estimate cited by the Virginia Mercury, and the expanded Affordable Care Act premium tax credits lapsed in January, Roll Call reported.
Mark Warner (Democrat, Incumbent)
Warner, of Alexandria, is a former technology entrepreneur who served as Virginia's governor from 2002 to 2006. He was elected to the Senate in 2008 and is vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, according to the Virginia Mercury. He told the Mercury he is seeking a fourth term because of the Trump administration, the challenges of artificial intelligence and his view that the country needs universal health coverage.
On data centers, the video says Warner wants federal standards on energy and water use tied to certain tax benefits. The Virginia Mercury reported that he wants federal standards on energy and water use, setbacks from neighborhoods and public disclosure, and that companies would have to meet them to qualify for certain tax benefits. In July, Warner introduced the Data Center Tax Accountability and Disclosure Act of 2026 (S. 5054), which would exempt AI data centers from bonus depreciation and require operators to report electricity and water use, according to Congress.gov. In VPM's survey, he wrote that his legislation would "make data centers pay for the grid upgrades they require instead of passing those costs on to residents, and condition valuable tax benefits on meeting strong efficiency standards."
On health care, the video says Warner introduced a bill for a public insurance option and to restore enhanced ACA subsidies. A bill he introduced in September would create a public insurance option, restore the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies and reverse health care provisions of the 2025 Republican tax-and-spending law, the Virginia Mercury and Roll Call reported. "On the public option piece, that is a place to start the debate," Warner told the Mercury. "I think we need to move to universal coverage so there is a requirement for coverage."
Bert Mizusawa (Republican)
Mizusawa, a West Point graduate with law and public policy degrees from Harvard, served on the Senate Armed Services Committee staff, as a deputy undersecretary of the Army and as a CIA adviser, and advised Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, according to the Virginia Mercury. He commanded a Combined Joint Interagency Task Force in Afghanistan. His campaign website says he served 41 years in uniform and is a four-time combat veteran, and lists balancing the budget, banning congressional stock trading and new nuclear power among his priorities.
On data centers, the video says Mizusawa believes developers should pay the full cost of the infrastructure their projects require. He told the Virginia Mercury that data center developers should pay the full cost of that infrastructure rather than shifting the expense to other utility customers. He told the Loudoun Times-Mirror that local governments should decide whether to permit data centers: "My policy is essentially: No local community should have a decision on data centers made by Richmond or Washington, D.C."
On health care, the video says Mizusawa wants to tie federal Medicaid funding to states' ability to account for how the money is spent. He told the Virginia Mercury that states that show responsible spending should be rewarded and those that cannot adequately audit their spending should get less. At an Oct. 7 disability community forum, he said stronger oversight of fraud, waste and abuse could free money for disability services and long-term care, adding, "The reforms shouldn't just be aimed at cutting." His campaign website says he would lower health care costs by "holding insurance companies accountable" and funding rural hospitals.
Where to Follow the Candidates
Mark Warner: @MarkWarner on X and @markwarnerva on Instagram. Bert Mizusawa: @GenBert2026 on X and @bertforsenate2026 on Instagram and TikTok.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. This guide is for information only; The Digital Free Press does not endorse any candidate.
Yossi Schmidt, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Digital Free Press
Hold Everyone Accountable.
Sources: Virginia Mercury, "Warner seeks a final term as Mizusawa makes his case for change" (Oct. 14, 2026): https://virginiamercury.com/2026/10/14/warner-seeks-a-final-term-as-mizusawa-makes-his-case-for-change/ ; Virginia Mercury, "Warner, Mizusawa outline competing approaches to disability policy" (Oct. 8, 2026): https://virginiamercury.com/2026/10/08/warner-mizusawa-outline-competing-approaches-to-disability-policy/ ; Virginia Mercury, Voter Guide: U.S. Senate: https://virginiamercury.com/voter-guides/contests/general-election-u-s-senator/ ; Loudoun Times-Mirror, "Candidates for House, Senate on data centers, immigration and affordability": https://www.loudountimes.com/news/environment/candidates-for-house-senate-on-data-centers-immigration-and-affordability/article_1e7fecb8-92a1-4c59-88a2-000d4596d7b3.html ; VPM, "US Senate Q&A: Bert Mizusawa, Mark Warner" (Sept. 21, 2026): https://www.vpm.org/elections/2026-09-21/us-senate-warner-mizusawa-candidate-survey/ ; Roll Call, "Warner pitches health care expansion as he preps for swan song" (Oct. 8, 2026): https://rollcall.com/2026/10/08/warner-pitches-health-care-expansion-as-he-preps-for-swan-song/ ; Congress.gov, S. 5054, Data Center Tax Accountability and Disclosure Act of 2026: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5054/text ; Bert Mizusawa campaign, Where I Stand: https://bertforsenate.com/issues ; Mark Warner campaign: https://www.markwarner.com/
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