{"version":1,"type":"story","url":"https://digestai.news/story/texas-voters-oppose-data-centers-57-to-43-as-election-issue-grows","json":"https://digestai.news/story/texas-voters-oppose-data-centers-57-to-43-as-election-issue-grows.json","markdown":"https://digestai.news/story/texas-voters-oppose-data-centers-57-to-43-as-election-issue-grows.md","slug":"texas-voters-oppose-data-centers-57-to-43-as-election-issue-grows","headline":"Texas Voters oppose Data centers 57% to 43% as election issue grows","summary":"A broad coalition of Texas voters opposes data center expansion across party lines, with 57 percent against new construction according to an August poll. The opposition spans Republicans (43 percent), Democrats (75 percent), and independents (54 percent). Groups including the Texas NAACP and Save Rural Texas have formed the We the People Texas coalition, which estimates it represents up to 1 million voters concerned about water consumption, tax subsidies, and new power plants.\n\nTexas has become the fastest-growing state for data centers, with 26GW of existing and under-construction capacity compared to 13GW in Virginia. The state's sales tax exemption for data centers, expanded by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2015, was initially projected to cost $14.6 million but now amounts to an estimated $3.2 billion in lost revenue over two years. Electricity bills have risen 35.4 percent over five years, and data center water use could grow from 0.4 percent to 2.7 percent of state totals by 2030.\n\nAbbott has shifted course, ordering moratoriums on permits and proposing to repeal the tax exemption, but advocates say the pauses don't cover off-grid projects. His opponent Gina Hinojosa has gained ground campaigning against data centers, though some activists question her sincerity. Both Senate candidates Ken Paxton and James Talarico have also adjusted positions, though both have taken campaign money from data center interests.","keyPoints":["57% of Texas voters oppose data center construction, including 43% of Republicans and 75% of Democrats","Texas leads with 26GW data center capacity vs Virginia's 13GW; tax exemption costs $3.2B over two years","Gov. Abbott ordered permit moratoriums and proposed repealing tax breaks, but off-grid projects continue"],"whyItMatters":"Bipartisan voter backlash in the top data center state could reshape AI infrastructure policy, tax incentives, and energy planning ahead of midterms.","category":{"slug":"policy","name":"Policy & Regulation","url":"https://digestai.news/category/policy"},"entities":{"companies":["AWS","Microsoft","Google","Meta","Data Center Coalition","Public Citizen"],"models":[],"people":["Gary Bledsoe","Greg Abbott","Gina Hinojosa","Ken Paxton","James Talarico","Jet Parker"]},"firstPublishedAt":"2026-10-28T12:00:00Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-28T12:00:00Z","sourceCount":1,"hasPrimarySource":false,"sources":[{"outlet":"The Verge AI","title":"Voters in Texas agree: They hate data centers","url":"https://theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/1018676/data-center-midterm-election-energy-water-texas","publishedAt":"2026-10-28T12:00:00Z","type":"press","primary":false,"lead":true}],"sourceNotes":null,"discussions":[],"thread":{"title":"US Data Center Moratoriums Face Voter Backlash","url":"https://digestai.news/thread/300-us-data-center-moratoriums-have-delayed-only-three-projects-analysis-finds","storyCount":2},"cite":{"text":"Digest AI, \"Texas Voters oppose Data centers 57% to 43% as election issue grows\", 28 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/texas-voters-oppose-data-centers-57-to-43-as-election-issue-grows","publisher":"Digest AI","title":"Texas Voters oppose Data centers 57% to 43% as election issue grows","datePublished":"2026-10-28T12:00:00Z","url":"https://digestai.news/story/texas-voters-oppose-data-centers-57-to-43-as-election-issue-grows"},"generatedBy":"Written by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources; the sources are the record.","license":"Headlines, digests and key points are written by Digest AI and may be quoted with a link to the story page. Linked articles belong to their publishers. Terms: https://digestai.news/terms#reuse"}