Paxton unveils data center plan; Talarico attacks in Texas US Senate race
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton has unveiled his 'Texas First Data Center Plan' to regulate data centers in the state. His opponent, Democrat James Talarico, criticized Paxton's past ties to the industry and highlighted his own 'Hold Data Centers Accountable Plan,' making data center policy a key issue in the Texas U.S. Senate race.
The U.S. Senate race in Texas between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico is highlighting data center policy as a central campaign issue ahead of the November 3 general election. Both candidates have released plans to address the growing presence and impact of data centers across the state.
Ken Paxton, who is challenging outgoing U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, has introduced his 'Texas First Data Center Plan.' This plan aims to regulate data centers to protect Texas communities and culture, ensure the U.S. wins the AI race, and prevent data centers from powering AI platforms that could endanger children. Paxton accused Talarico of accepting donations from data center-affiliated donors and prioritizing their interests.
Conversely, James Talarico, who previously released his 'Hold Data Centers Accountable Plan,' criticized Paxton for his past support of legislation that led to data center proliferation in Texas and for accepting significant donations from the industry. Talarico's plan includes ending tax breaks for data centers, requiring them to cover infrastructure improvements to lower energy costs for Texans, mandating closed-loop systems for water conservation, and enacting minimum federal standards for data center projects. He also alleged Paxton's plan was generated by AI.