The rapid construction of data centers has become a significant issue in local opposition and in congressional and gubernatorial campaigns across the United States. Tech funding is flowing into these races, with Leading the Future, a super PAC backed by venture capitalist Marc Andreessen and OpenAI President Greg Brockman, spending $45 million in one year. Anthropic-backed group Public First Action reported raising $80 million, and other super PACs are positioning themselves to advocate for stricter AI policies.
Candidates across the political spectrum are adjusting their stances regarding data centers, with varying degrees of willingness to support a moratorium on development. In Texas, where the state has the second-highest number of planned data center projects after Virginia, the issue is a key wedge. Democratic candidate and State Rep. James Talarico proposed a “Hold Data Centers Accountable Plan” that would end state sales tax incentives, require closed-loop water systems for new facilities, and create federal standards for the energy grid and environment. Talarico also proposed an “AI Dividend” funded by a tax on “AI-attributable profits.”
Republican candidate and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton introduced the “Texas First Data Center Plan,” which supports state policies like repealing sales tax exemptions and requiring data centers to fund their own electricity use and capacity additions. Paxton also proposed legislation prohibiting the use of Chinese technology in U.S. data centers and holding companies criminally liable if a facility “empowers AI chatbots that undermine children’s safety.”
In the gubernatorial race, Democratic challenger State Rep. Gina Hinojosa accused Republican incumbent Greg Abbott of “flip-flopping” on data centers, referencing Abbott’s office celebrating a $40 billion Google investment last year, contrasted with Abbott announcing an audit in August 2026 that could slow new facilities connecting to the state energy grid.
In Florida, an October NBC6/Telemundo Station Group poll found that 45 percent of likely voter respondents opposed data centers, compared to 38 percent in support and 17 percent undecided. However, the poll noted that 59 percent opposed data centers in their own communities. Separately, Pennsylvania announced a $20 billion investment from Amazon, which Shapiro credited to the state’s new fast track permitting program.
