As the bipartisan hate for data centers continues to grow, Texas governor Greg Abbott is suddenly singing a dramatically different tune.
During a Sunday interview with ABC, Abbott said that AI companies have “basically dug their own grave for the problem that’s been caused for them, and that’s why they got the backlash they deserve.”
His comments indicate that it’s not just blue states growing wary of data centers. It’s a particularly noteworthy new take for Abbott, who mere months ago was an outspoken supporter of the massive facilities powering the AI boom. Just in November, he gloated that Texas was the “epicenter of AI development,” offering major sales tax exemptions. At the time, Abbott proudly announced that Google was making a major $40 billion investment in the state.
The backlash has become one of the biggest uniting, bipartisan movements in the country, turning vast swathes of the population firmly against the tech. Lawmakers are only now starting to catch on that the subject could quickly turn into a major political crisis, which could have significant consequences not just during the upcoming midterms, but 2028’s presidential election as well.
