Record corporate profits alongside stagnant paychecks and an AI-driven data center boom are stacking the deck against ordinary workers — bad news for the middle class, good news for chipmakers and political donors.

• US company profits have hit their highest level since World War II while worker pay stays flat, widening the gap between the rich and everyone else.
• Trump's main super PAC is sitting on $400 million for the midterms and still raising more, with Musk pledging over $100 million on top.
• Data centers are the new political flashpoint in Texas, where lifelong Republicans say the noise and disruption have pushed them to vote Democrat.
• Bill Gates warns AI will wipe out half of entry-level white collar jobs within five years; Nvidia's Jensen Huang insists it will create more jobs than it kills.
• Companies that backed Trump are quietly hiring Democratic advisers, fearing investigations if the House flips.

Outlook: Expect the money fight over Texas and the backlash against data centers to grow louder as the midterms approach, with white collar job cuts the story to watch.