TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A mysterious political text message claiming two Tallahassee City Commission candidates support bringing data centers to the city is drawing denials and raising questions about who authorized and financed the message weeks before the Aug. 18 election.
The message, which identified its source as the “Build Data Centers Now Political Action Committee,” told recipients that the organization trusted Seat 3 candidates Talethia Edwards and P.J. Perez “to bring datacenters to Tallahassee.”
But neither candidate supports that position, according to statements they provided to WFSU. Searches of state and federal campaign-finance records also did not identify a political committee registered under the name used in the message.
The discrepancy has turned an otherwise brief campaign text into a broader election-accountability question involving political disclosures, candidate authorization and the rapidly intensifying debate over large data centers in Florida.
Candidates Reject Message
Perez told WFSU that he supports banning data centers in Tallahassee and backed Leon County commissioners’ decision to impose a moratorium on large-scale facilities.
“I stand with the County Commission, who unanimously voted for a moratorium on building new data centers,” Perez said.
Edwards similarly rejected the purported endorsement, saying she does not support data centers and had never received an endorsement from the organization named in the message.
“I do not support data centers, and I’ve never received this endorsement,” Edwards said, characterizing the message as an attempt to confuse voters.
Neither candidate has been accused of participating in or authorizing the communication.
Opt-Out Response Names Registered Florida Committee
Although the “Build Data Centers Now” organization could not be located in available state or federal committee records, WFSU reported that recipients who replied “STOP” received an automated response naming “Citizens In Control.”
Florida Division of Elections records confirm that Citizens In Control is an active political committee registered in Miami. Jon Bermudez is listed as its chairperson, treasurer and registered agent.
That automated response does not establish that Citizens In Control, Bermudez or any particular campaign authorized, paid for or distributed the original message. Vendor records, committee expenditures or an acknowledgment from the sender would be needed to establish responsibility.
As of publication, no official campaign-finance violation or enforcement action concerning the message had been announced.
Florida Law Requires Identification
Florida law generally requires political text messages supporting or opposing a candidate to identify their sponsor with the words “Paid for by,” followed by the sponsoring person or organization. The disclosure may instead link to a website containing the required information.
The law also prohibits a text message from stating or implying that its sender represents an organization without written approval, or from claiming to represent an organization that does not exist.
Those requirements are contained in Section 106.147 of the Florida Statutes. Whether the Tallahassee message violated that section would depend on evidence concerning its complete contents, sender, financing and method of distribution. No state authority has made such a determination.
Data Centers Become Local Election Issue
The controversy comes as data-center development becomes an increasingly prominent issue in Tallahassee and across Florida.
Leon County commissioners voted unanimously in July to impose an 18-month moratorium on large-scale data centers, giving the county time to study their potential effects on electricity demand, water supplies, infrastructure and nearby communities.
Florida’s new statewide data-center law, which took effect July 1, requires large facilities to bear certain infrastructure costs while preserving local zoning and land-use authority.
At the federal level, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds has introduced the Protecting Ratepayers from AI Data Centers Act, which would require large AI data centers to supply their own power and water rather than shifting infrastructure costs to residential customers.
The issue has therefore become especially sensitive in local elections, where city and county officials can influence whether proposed facilities receive zoning or development approval.
Six Candidates Compete for Seat 3
Edwards and Perez are among six qualified candidates seeking Tallahassee City Commission Seat 3. The field also includes Darryl “Dar Wavemaker” Alfred, Tom Derzypolski, Maxwell “Max” Herrle and Norm Roche, according to the Leon County Supervisor of Elections.
The contest is nonpartisan and appears on the Aug. 18 primary ballot. Early voting runs from Aug. 8 through Aug. 16. Voters can find statewide deadlines, candidate information and official resources in The Florida Pundit’s Florida Elections 2026 guide.
The unresolved question is not whether Edwards and Perez support data centers—they have publicly said they do not—but who sent a message telling voters otherwise and why the communication apparently used the name of an organization absent from available campaign-finance records.
Until records identifying the sender become available, any attribution beyond the automated opt-out response remains unverified.
Sources
- WFSU Public Media
- Florida Division of Elections
- “Oficial Seat 3 Candidates” → “Official Seat 3 Candidates”
- Leon County Supervisor of Elections
- Section 106.147, Florida Statutes
Related Coverage
- What Florida’s New Data Center Law Means for Homeowners, Taxpayers and Local Communities
- Byron Donalds Introduces Bill Requiring AI Data Centers to Supply Their Own Power and Water
- Florida Elections 2026: Key Dates, Candidates and Voter Deadlines
