Voters in Texas agree: They hate data centers

A broad Texas coalition called We the People Texas, spanning Republicans, Democrats, and independents, is pushing to stop or stall data center construction, citing water use, tax subsidies, and new power infrastructure; an August poll found 57 percent of Texans oppose data center construction. Gov. Greg Abbott has shifted to requiring operators to cover infrastructure costs and pausing some permits, while candidates in the governor's and Senate races try to distance themselves from the industry. Data centers in Texas consumed about 25 billion gallons of water last year, and the state's tax exemption is estimated to cost $3.2 billion in lost sales tax revenue over two years.