WASHINGTON — Adam Hamilton, the Democratic Methodist minister challenging Republican Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas, has questioned whether artificial intelligence is quickly turning into a modern “Tower of Babel.” At the same time, his financial disclosures show that he and his wife may hold as much as $4 million in shares of companies developing AI infrastructure and data centers in the state.
In an interview with Politico earlier this month, Hamilton said the federal government should consider slowing the expansion of artificial intelligence long enough to establish effective safeguards and policies. “We can create the right solutions and safeguards,” he said.
The candidate also criticized government incentives for large corporations constructing data centers in local communities. In a July statement, he argued that such projects could increase electricity bills and place additional pressure on already limited water supplies.
Yet Hamilton’s own wealth is closely tied to the technology sector. Senate disclosures filed in June placed his net worth as high as $20 million, with significant investments in major technology companies, including Apple, as well as businesses involved in the AI boom.
Marshall has voiced similar reservations about the rapid growth of data centers and artificial intelligence. However, his direct investment in the sector is considerably smaller than Hamilton’s, although his filings show tens of thousands of shares in funds with exposure to AI and data-center infrastructure. Marshall’s reported net worth ranges from $3 million to $9 million.
Hamilton’s 2025 income included $394,239.05 in compensation from Church of the Resurrection, the Methodist megachurch he founded. He also reported $417,372.70 in royalties from publishing deals.
His 2025 financial filing listed as much as $3.5 million in stock holdings connected to cloud-computing and data-center operators.
The investments, held by Hamilton or his wife, included between $1.1 million and $3.5 million in shares of technology giants such as Google, Meta, Microsoft and Oracle.
The disclosures also showed between $126,000 and $430,000 invested in NVIDIA and other semiconductor manufacturers, including Qualcomm and Broadcom.
Additional holdings in companies that supply data-center infrastructure were valued between $12,000 and $180,000.
Apple represented Hamilton’s most valuable individual investment, with his holdings in the company worth more than $7 million.
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His wife also reported earning between $5,001 and $15,000 in interest from bonds issued by the Bank of China, a state-owned institution. She listed another $15,001 to $50,000 in interest from bonds issued by Bank Baroda, which is controlled by the Indian government.
The reason for those bond purchases is not clear, though the investments have since been sold.
Despite his personal exposure to the technology industry, Hamilton has argued that local governments should have the final say over whether data centers are built in their communities. He has also criticized billionaires and called for stronger oversight of artificial intelligence.
“If a town decides a project is worth it to land the jobs or increase their tax base, that’s their decision. But if they don’t want one, that should be their decision, too,” Hamilton said. “If you’re a data center, you should pay your own way.”
The issue is among the few areas where Hamilton and Marshall largely share the same position.
Marshall told Semafor in July that residents across his state were “on fire against” data centers. He has also, at times, questioned how much economic value the technology industry’s expansion will bring to Kansas.
“Several dozen counties have placed moratoriums on them. Certainly it is a state issue. It’s a county issue, really a zoning issue. I certainly support their moratoriums,” Marshall said.
He added that communities must resolve the demands data centers place on water and power systems, arguing that tax incentives may not be justified because the facilities create relatively few permanent jobs once construction is complete.
Still, when asked whether artificial intelligence could lead to widespread job losses, Marshall said he was “not fearful of it.”
His campaign has taken thousands of dollars over the years from data center developers such as Microsoft and Oracle.
Marshall’s personal financial disclosures also show up to $30,000 in mutual fund holdings that have been invested in semiconductor and similar technology.
Reps for the Hamilton campaign didn’t respond to requests for comment.