A new investigation revealed that Texas Governor Greg Abbott received $9 million from companies connected to data center construction over the past year. The findings angered Texas residents, who questioned Abbott’s claims about pausing data center development in light of these donations.
According to The Texas Tribune, Abbott raised around $9 million from donors directly or indirectly connected to data centers since July 2025, accounting for 13% of all the donations he received during that period.
The report indicates that much of this money came after public sentiment toward data centers began to sour, with more than $4 million donated after Abbott began defending a “pause” on approving additional data centers in Texas.
Texans React to Abbott’s Latest Controversy
Users on r/Texas were unhappy to learn that Abbott’s campaign had received so much money from companies with close ties to the data center industry. One Texan, for example, had harsh words for the governor, saying he is “just another corrupt GOP politician that needs to be removed from office.”
Someone else wrote: “Abbott only paused approvals for their construction when he saw his lead in the polls slipping away. That pause will be lifted immediately if he’s re-elected. No one should be fooled by him supposedly being against data centers, and this is Exhibit A on why.”
One person also argued that “absolutely no Texan should be shocked about this, and I hope the conservatives that are against data centers near their homes pay attention. I do not expect his data center permit ‘pause’ to last very far beyond Election Day (should he get re-elected).”
Other locals focused on the total amount donated to Abbott. As one user put it, “It’s shocking to me how cheap politicians are.” Others added: “Those donation amounts always strike me as relatively cheap considering the influence and political cover they buy. Like the ROI on that must be massive.”
As Texas continues to debate the expansion of data centers, Abbott’s campaign donations are likely to remain under scrutiny. What is unclear is whether these reports will have any substantial effect on the upcoming elections.
