{"id":357507,"date":"2026-07-01T17:32:58","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T17:32:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/357507\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T17:32:58","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T17:32:58","slug":"texas-republicans-and-democrats-stake-out-divergent-takes-on-data-centers-at-their-conventions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/357507\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas Republicans and Democrats stake out divergent takes on data centers at their conventions"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Texas Democrats added a data center moratorium to the party platform at its biennial convention in Corpus Christi\u2019s Hilliard Center over the weekend. Credit: Stephanie Koithan<\/p>\n

During last weekend\u2019s biennial Texas Democratic Party convention, delegates approved a platform calling for a pause on new data centers until stronger state regulations are in place.<\/p>\n

The data center plank of their platform emerged as one of the state party\u2019s top priorities less than a week after the Texas Politics Project released a new poll showing a majority of Texans oppose the building of data centers in their communities.<\/p>\n

According to the poll<\/a>, 56% of Texans are in opposition to new data center construction in their communities, with 42% stating they \u201cstrongly opposed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud to see the Texas Democratic Party embrace what I\u2019ve been saying from day one,\u201d Katy Padilla Stout, Democratic candidate for Texas House District 23, posted on Facebook<\/a> Monday afternoon. \u201cTexas shouldn\u2019t keep approving massive data centers without first making sure our communities have the resources they need.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stout \u2014 who\u2019s running against Republican gun advocate and YouTuber Brandon \u201cAK Guy\u201d Herrera to represent a district that includes part of San Antonio \u2014 said a pause was needed \u201cto protect our water supply and our grid.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Texas Democrats\u2019 unified opposition to the data center gold rush stands in contrast to the Texas Republican Party, whose delegates remain divided on the issue. That lack of unity was on display earlier in June despite Republican Gov. Greg Abbott issuing a statement the week of the convention calling for a crackdown on data centers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Texas GOP\u2019s rift also reflects data presented by the Texas Politics Project poll. The survey shows 38% of Republicans expect AI to have a positive impact on the economy, while 40% expect a negative impact. Democrats, on the other hand, demonstrate a clear majority on the issue, with 61% expecting AI to negatively impact the economy while 21% expect a net positive.<\/p>\n

A clear majority of Democratic respondents \u2014 71% \u2014 were also opposed to local data center construction. Meanwhile, Republicans were split down the middle, with 42% saying they supported the construction of data centers in their community, while 44% were opposed.<\/p>\n

While a contingent of Republicans at the state party\u2019s convention expressed concern about the data center boom, much of the conversation centered around \u201clocal control\u201d and increased regulations rather than an all-out moratorium, according to Houston Public Media<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For the Texas GOP\u2019s biennial convention, held June 11-13 in Houston, party members initially listed data centers as their 15th highest legislative priority. That was well behind others pushing the party further right, such as opposing in vitro fertilization<\/a>, banning trans teachers<\/a>, punishing women who get abortions<\/a>, putting a stop to \u201cabortion pill trafficking<\/a>,\u201d overturning the Obergefell decision<\/a> legalizing gay marriage and opposing what attendees characterized as the spread of Sharia law in Texas, according to multiple media reports.<\/p>\n

This shortlist was led by the convention\u2019s Legislative Priorities Committee, which determines the party\u2019s focus ahead of the upcoming 90th Texas Legislative Session, kicking off in January.<\/p>\n

During its initial sessions, the committee laid out tentative guardrails for AI development.<\/p>\n

Those included: regulating AI, safeguarding against \u201csurveillance overreach,\u201d requiring data centers to \u201csecure their own power generation,\u201d ensuring no financial burden is placed on nearby utility customers, compensating surrounding communities for any pollution generated and prohibiting tax incentives, Houston Public Media reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n

GOP Bexar County judge candidate Patrick Von Dohlen, a member of the committee, told Houston Public Media that approximately a quarter of the convention\u2019s attendees were concerned about data centers. Von Dohlen, who\u2019s running against former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, a Democrat, said he and the rest of the committee would \u201ctake [attendees\u2019] concerns into consideration.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCounty commissioners, they\u2019re begging, screaming for more authority,\u201d Von Dohlen told Houston Public Media. \u201cTexas Commission on Environmental Quality \u2026 they\u2019re basically rubberstamping these projects, and they\u2019re not \u2026 being responsive to the locals.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, by the time the Texas Republicans\u2019 2026-2028 legislative priorities<\/a> were finalized and approved, the only mention of data centers was in a category about protecting groundwater sovereignty. The document stated the party will \u201cprohibit data centers and new large industrial users from consuming fresh groundwater and surface water by mandating nonpotable water such as oil and gas wastewater.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the Legislative Priorities Committee had chipped away at its more decisive language on data center development over numerous sessions, initial concerns raised about pollution, costs, surveillance, repealing tax incentives and other proposed restrictions fell by the wayside.<\/p>\n

With both conventions now in the rearview mirror, Democrats reflected the growing public opposition to data centers in Texas while Republicans appeared ambivalent to it \u2014\u00a0even from within the party\u2019s own ranks.<\/p>\n

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