NEW: The Hill – “Data centers become flash point” in Texas Governor’s Race

“Hinojosa is seizing on Abbott’s history and made data centers a key part of her campaign.”

Austin, TX – New reporting from The Hill highlights how data centers are drawing a clear contrast between Democratic nominee for Governor Gina Hinojosa and Greg Abbott ahead of this November. While Hinojosa has called out the harm of foreign-owned data centers encroaching on Texas’ rural communities, Abbott is running from his own record of signing the country’s most generous data center giveaway “as he eyes reelection this fall.”

Last November, Abbott called Texas “the epicenter of AI development” when “he welcomed Google’s $40 billion investment into the development of data facilities in the state.” According to the article, Abbott’s data center handout “could cost the state more than $3 billion by 2028.” This is the Greg Abbott Corruption Tax in action: rig the deal for global corporations and his donors and make Texans foot the bill.

In contrast, Hinojosa is “embracing a populist approach, tuning into voters’ sentiment about the ultrawealthy who may own the data centers.” Throughout her campaign, Hinojosa has made it clear: data centers are owned by the richest men in the world, and they should pay for themselves.

Read more below.

The Hill: Data centers become flash point in gubernatorial races 

  • Incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is shifting his views on data centers as he eyes reelection this fall. 
  • Abbott made headlines last month after he called for blocking new data center development in rural parts of the Lone Star State during a campaign stop. 
  • This differs from last November, when the Texas Republican called the state the “epicenter of AI development” as he welcomed Google’s $40 billion investment into the development of data facilities in the state. 
  • Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa, a Texas state representative, is seizing on Abbott’s history and made data centers a key part of her campaign. 
  • “Data centers are moving to Texas because Greg Abbott helped create the most generous tax dollar giveaway to data centers in the country so Texans would foot the bill,” Hinojosa told The Hill, referring to the state’s data center tax exemption that could cost the state more than $3 billion by 2028. 
  • Hinojosa argues the governor is “backtracking” because of the increased calls for the AI developers behind data centers to pay for the rising utility costs. 
  • “Abbott has zero credibility here — no one believes that the arsonist is going to put out the fire,” she added. 
  • Like other Democrats this cycle, Hinojosa is embracing a populist approach, tuning into voters’ sentiment about the ultrawealthy who may own the data centers. 

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