MANASSAS, Va. — With just weeks until Virginia’s elections , the race for supervisor in Prince William County’s Gainesville District has become a flashpoint in a broader debate sweeping the Commonwealth: the rapid and controversial expansion of data centers .

Both candidates vying for the open seat, Democrat George Stewart and Republican Patrick Harders, agree that data center development needs better oversight. But how they would manage future growth, revenue, and community impact is shaping up as one of the most contentious issues in this closely watched race.

“Data centers are a big thing,” Stewart said. “But we don’t need to build more and we need to close loopholes that allow them to pay less in property taxes.”

Stewart, who supports full school funding and attainable housing,

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