A Democratic primary in Maryland's 5th district pits an Oracle data center lobbyist against grassroots candidate Wala Bagiy, and it's bad news for residents already getting crushed by soaring power bills.

• Oracle founder Larry Ellison just got $70 billion richer in a month from the AI boom, and his lobbyist is now running to replace longtime congressman Steny Hoyer with Hoyer's backing.
• Data centers on the regional power grid are driving electric bills way up — some residents went from under $100 to $600 or more a month, with one 85-year-old facing a $1,500 bill.
• Local officials warn the grid operator expects blackouts if more giant data centers get built, and the jobs they bring are few and often remote.
• Federal workers and contractors in the district are getting laid off with little notice and no back pay, while $1 billion a day goes to the Iran war.
• The race has over 20 Democrats running, and AIPAC-linked money plus $4 million from AI and crypto interests is flowing in to back the lobbyist.

Outlook: The primary is two weeks out, and if the data center lobbyist wins, residents expect power bills and grid strain to get worse.