The California gubernatorial primary is in full swing, with the primary election date coming up soon — June 2. Voters who are worried about the rapid expansion of data centers across the country may be wondering which candidates are most likely to put the brakes on data centers in California, and two particular candidates appear to be front-runners in this respect.

Tom Steyer and Katie Porter, both candidates running for California governor in the Democratic primary, have agreed in a recent Greenpeace survey that they would support a moratorium on new data centers until major regulations are put in place.

Here is the specific wording of the question as it appears in the survey:

Both Tom Steyer and Katie Porter answered yes to this question.

Greenpeace’s survey covered a number of questions related to the environment and climate, ultimately giving both Steyer and Porter an “A” on their climate scorecard. Fellow Democratic nominee Xavier Becerra was awarded a “D”, and Republican candidates Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco were given an “F” score based on their answers to the survey.

While the type of moratorium laid out in the question would not satisfy those who are against all data centers under any conditions, the regulations specified would address some of the most pressing concerns that people have had about data centers — energy costs and harm to the water supply.

Many 2026 political candidates, in various races across the U.S., are increasingly acknowledging these concerns, especially given the huge grassroots backlash against data centers seen in many communities in the last year. However, more often than not, the candidates are not clear and specific about what such regulations would look like or when they would happen.

Greenpeace’s question is specifically asking candidates to commit to ensuring that these regulations are put in place first, before any new data centers are built. That Tom Steyer and Katie Porter answered in the affirmative suggests a level of commitment that most candidates running for office this year seem unwilling to make.

Of course campaign commitments fall by the wayside all the time, but it is still encouraging to see that more politicians are becoming aware that data centers are a top issue for many voters. Steyer in particular has a longstanding dedication to ecological issues, so this fits with his track record as a passionate environmentalist.

Read more about the results of the Greenpeace Climate Leadership Scorecard here, and see where some of the major candidates stand on several issues related to the environment, polluters, and emissions.