The AI data center boom has led to opposing political standpoints in the United States, and it is already affecting how Wall Street picks stocks. The Democrats’ recent victory in the November 2026 midterm elections has also shifted the market’s attention back to defensive, dividend-paying energy stocks.
Some of the stocks that top-ranked analysts tracked by TipRanks are focusing on right now include Viper Energy (VNOM), Exxon Mobil (XOM), and Williams Companies (WMB), according to a CNBC report.
Those three stocks pay dividends to shareholders every quarter. Each of them also has a payment coming within the next two months.
How the midterm results sent income investors back to energy
In the 2026 midterm elections, voters rejected data center projects in 40 out of 41 local ballot measures, The Motley Fool reported. That result reflected the fact that newly elected Democrats in Virginia, New Jersey, and Georgia had campaigned on imposing tougher rules for data centers. They did so mainly because of data centers’ high power consumption. Because of political resistance, some of the excitement around AI stocks has cooled.
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In a situation where the AI rally is looking uncertain, it is normal for companies that pay a reliable dividend to look more attractive. The local pushback against data centers didn’t just start recently. Earlier this year, Rep.
Marcy Kaptur of Ohio told Politico in an interview that, “The public opposition that is arising, it’s spontaneous combustion coming up from the grassroots.”
That was her description of how serious the local pushback has become. And the recent midterm election results made that political heat more apparent. That is why so many analysts are circling back to steady, dividend stocks.
Oil pump jacks pull crude from the Permian Basin, the region where Viper Energy collects royalties on every barrel produced on its land.SOPA Images / Getty Images
How Viper Energy pays shareholders without touching a drill
Viper Energy (VNOM) is one of the companies analysts are recommending right now. It owns mineral and royalty rights in the Permian Basin, which is the heart of U.S. oil production.
Those rights allow the company to get a cut of every barrel of oil pumped on its land. The best part is that Viper doesn’t need to pay anything to drill the wells. Most of the money it collects can flow straight back to shareholders.
With such a business setup, Viper declared a 50-cent base cash dividend for the third quarter. That dividend is payable on November 19, 2026, according to Viper Energy‘s earnings release.
Based on that declaration, the company has a trailing yield of about 5.7%. Also, any leftover free cash will be used to support Viper’s buybacks. That’s why Roth Capital analyst Leo Mariani likes the company’s business model. It holds up even when drilling activity slows down.
Why Exxon’s payout keeps rising while oil prices drift sideways
Exxon Mobil (XOM) runs a mixed business. It pumps crude oil, turns it into fuel, and sells chemicals derived during the process as well. Based on that mix, the company can earn money from other parts even when one part of the business slows down. That makes it steady, which is good for dividends.
In the third quarter, Exxon raised its dividend by 3.9% to $1.07 per share. That dividend is payable on December 10, 2026. In addition, the company lined up $20 billion in buybacks for 2027, according to Exxon‘s Q3 release.
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“Markets will change, but we’re positioned to continue supplying the energy and products the world needs while delivering growth in long-term value for our shareholders,” CEO Darren Woods said during the Q3 release. That statement points out the company’s consistency.
How Williams quietly turned natural gas into an AI-adjacent play
Williams Companies (WMB) is another company that earns money from fees. The company has about 33,000 miles of natural gas pipelines that run across the country. Utility companies then pay Williams to use those pipelines to move gas. There will always be demand for electricity, so the company earns steady revenue from fees.
Based on its stability, Williams declared a quarterly dividend of 52.5 cents, which is payable on December 28, 2026. It also has a dividend yield of about 3%. The way this business is set up makes it a useful player in the power industry, and the AI rally is significantly increasing energy demand.
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Williams is also moving to benefit from that demand. The company launched Socrates, its first natural-gas power plant, built to feed electricity directly to AI data centers in Ohio.
The plant came online ahead of schedule in the third quarter, and CEO Chad Zamarin said in a transcript of the earnings call on Yahoo Finance that “Socrates serves as a blueprint for commercializing and scaling the next wave of power projects.”
That suggests the company sees power deals as its next growth engine.
What to weigh before chasing these dividend checks
These stocks still carry their own risks. If oil prices fall sharply, it could affect Viper’s variable royalty income. Exxon’s buyback plan also needs investors’ attention.
The company’s plan depends on profits staying strong, so if the oil market is weak in 2027, the buyback pace could slow. Williams has a risk to consider as well. The company still needs regulators to approve new pipeline projects on time. If there are delays, it could affect the stock.
Another thing for investors to consider is the fact that dividend stocks tend to lag behind during big tech rallies. So if AI stocks climb rapidly, these three stocks may feel slow by comparison. Even so, they offer steady income every quarter, which can matter a lot when political and economic complications arise.
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