An East Lansing native and graduate from East Lansing High School, Lawrence co-founded the Sunrise Movement, a nationwide organization that strives to stop the climate crisis. Now, Lawrence aims to unseat incumbent Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, to represent Michigan’s 7th Congressional District after a contentious three-way August primary.

The congressional hopeful has built a campaign centered around stopping the expansion of AI data centers, promoting green energy and making rent affordable for Greater Lansing area residents.

Data centers have been subject to increased scrutiny over the past year in Michigan, as residents grapple with the environmental tolls of the proposed developments. East Lansing recently extended its data center moratorium to March of 2027. 

Lawrence, who has openly opposed data center development, said they threaten job security by promoting AI. Building data centers is the equivalent of building “an unemployment machine,” he said. 

When asked about AI by MSU Dems co-advocacy chair Patrick Pajak, who echoed the fear that AI was going to “take our jobs,” Lawrence said that AI can be used to “help cure cancer or research,” but that currently the “direction is wrong.” 

“Best case scenario, they put tens of millions of people out of work and bring a ton of natural gas," Lawrence said. 

Lawrence said he would push for nationwide data center moratoriums to be put on data centers as well as AI super-intelligence such as Anthropic's Claude, saying development need to be halted until “we can figure out what’s going on.”

James Madison College freshman Marin Carlson appreciated Lawrence’s direct plan of action. “A lot of politicians will just be like, ‘Oh I’m against it,’ and leave it there," she said.  

Lawrence's criticism of AI also extended to its use in overseeing mass surveillance systems, such as Flock cameras. 

“The surveillance state is one of the most un-American things I can imagine,” Lawrence said. 

Lawrence then quoted an older conservative slogan: “‘Don’t tread on me' — I agree with that," he said. "Don’t tread on me and don’t spy on me.”

Lawrence, working to flip the House of Representatives, also stressed the importance of the student vote. East Lansing, a critical swing district, could determine who controls the House come November. 

Lawrence urged all students, even those from out of state, to register in East Lansing, saying, “This is the place where your vote will go the farthest.” 

MSU College Democrats communication director Lily Dixon echoed the sentiment, saying this upcoming election would be "one where students’ votes matter the most.”