Talarico slams Paxton on data centers, defends filing 2021 bill to require large reductions in greenhouse gas emissions

Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico has publicly criticized Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton, alleging Paxton received nearly half a million dollars in campaign contributions from the data center industry. Talarico accused Paxton of ignoring Hood County residents' pleas as Attorney General to halt data center construction in their community, suggesting Paxton is "bought and paid for" by the industry. Talarico emphasized that he does not accept money from data centers.

Paxton's campaign spokeswoman, Madison Cercy, countered Talarico's claims by calling him a "hypocrite and a liar," stating that his campaign infrastructure received $12 million from donors with data center ties, citing billionaire Reid Hoffman's $11.5 million donation to a super PAC supporting Talarico. Talarico denied taking donations from Hoffman and disclaimed control over super PAC actions.

Both candidates have expressed positions on data center regulation. Talarico advocates for policies that require data centers to cover their energy costs, prevent utility bill increases, and recycle water to mitigate the Texas water crisis, ensuring communities have a say in project approvals. Paxton, on the other hand, supports guardrails and guidelines similar to those established by Governor Greg Abbott, who has already paused new data center approvals across the state. Talarico also discussed his 2021 Texas Climate Action Act bill, which aimed for significant greenhouse gas emission reductions, emphasizing his support for the oil and gas industry while promoting emissions reduction technologies.