Texas governor race draws data center backlash

Democratic nominee Gina Hinojosa for Texas governor has made the rapid expansion of AI‑driven data centers a central campaign issue, warning that the massive facilities threaten rural ranchland, water supplies and open space. She told a crowd in Amarillo that the industry, owned by “the richest men in the world,” is operating with little regulation and could raise electric bills and dry wells.

The data‑center controversy is spreading to other state contests. In Ohio, Democratic Senate candidate Sherrod Brown ran an ad accusing Sen. John Husted of supporting the projects, while a statewide referendum seeks to ban new data‑center construction. Wisconsin gubernatorial hopeful Francesca Hong has pledged to tax the rich and halt AI data centers, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro faces criticism for welcoming the industry. Democrats see the rural backlash as a way to energize voters in traditionally Republican areas ahead of the November election.