LICKING COUNTY, Ohio — As Intel continues to build its $20 billion manufacturing plant in New Albany, it remains to be seen whether the results of last week’s election could impact its future.

What You Need To Know

• The Intel project is expected to create tens of thousands of jobs and be a big boost for the region’s economy, but comments just days before the election from U.S. House speaker Mike Johnson grabbed headlines, suggesting Republicans could try to repeal the bipartisan policy


• Johnson later clarified those comments, saying it’s other parts of the bill that he disagrees with


• Ohio’s newly elected Senator Bernie Moreno says he’s committed to keeping the Intel project on course

Comments from Both President-elect Donald Trump and other Republicans in Washington have some questioning whether the new regime would change the course of the CHIPS Act, but as Spectrum News found out, Ohio’s newly elected Senator is committed to keeping the project on course.

The Intel project is expected to create tens of thousands of jobs and be a big boost for the region’s economy, but comments just days before the election from U.S. House speaker Mike Johnson grabbed headlines, suggesting Republicans could try to repeal the bipartisan policy.

“I expect we probably will, but we haven’t developed that part of the agenda,” Rep. Mike Johnson, (R) House Speaker said.

Johnson later clarified those comments, saying it’s other parts of the bill that he disagrees with.

 “We’re going to support chip manufacturing,” said Johnson. “We do not support the Green New Deal. When you separate those two things, that makes it a lot simpler.”

His comments come weeks after President-elect Trump went on a podcast, describing the legislation as a quote “Bad Deal.” 

But Senator-elect Bernie Moreno disagrees, saying he’ll push to keep the legislation in place, so that the Intel project isn’t in jeopardy. 

“We cannot lose that project. That cannot happen,” said Bernie Moreno, (R) US Senator-elect. “I will do everything in my power to make sure that does not happen. That means that we have to go out there and talk to the Commerce Secretary to make sure that funds are released immediately.”

Intel refused our request for an interview on the topic, and so did New Albany’s Mayor Sloan Spalding. Instead, Spalding gave us a statement saying, “The CHIPS Act is vital to our region’s continued growth. We remain committed to the project’s success, are proud to be part of the efforts to strengthen America’s semiconductor industry, and are hopeful our federal partners will follow through on their commitments.”

We’ve reached out to the offices of Governor Mike DeWine, Vice President-elect JD Vance and Congressman Troy Balderson for their take on the future of the CHIPS Act. But at this point, none of them have responded to our calls.