In November, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared his state the “epicenter of AI development” while announcing a $40 billion investment by Google.
Less than a year later, the Republican said he halted approvals of some 1,800 new data centers worth billions of dollars on concerns that they use too much power and water. The move earlier this month drew the ire of President Trump, who this week staunchly defended the centers as an economic engine.
A growing voter outcry over data centers that strain resources and fuel a technology capable of putting Americans out of work is becoming a mounting liability for Republicans and some Democrats in this fall’s elections. Abbott’s opponent in his bid for a fourth term, Democrat Gina Hinojosa, has hammered him on the issue while climbing within a few percentage points in recent polls.
“The data-center issue is the latest example of a governor who has been doing the bidding of moneyed interests instead of the people of Texas,” Hinojosa said in an interview.
Abbott has said companies have agreed to guardrails that minimize disruptions to local water and power markets, showing his plan is working and protecting Texas communities. Hinojosa, a state representative, says protections should be enshrined in law.
