Trump-backed Ken Paxton unveils 'Texas first' datacenter plan aimed at 'negative impact'

Ken Paxton speaks to reporters in San Antonio, Texas, on 8 August 2026. Ken Paxton speaks to reporters in San Antonio, Texas, on 8 August 2026. Trump-backed Ken Paxton unveils'Texas first' datacenter plan aimed at'negative impact' The Republican Senate candidate announced the plan with a graphic flagged as'Made with AI' Ken Paxton, a Republican candidate for the US Senate in Texas, has unveiled plans to tackle the "negative impact" of datacenters amid a growing backlash across the political spectrum. Paxton, endorsed by Donald Trump but facing a close contest against Democrat James Talarico, posted a "Texas first" datacenter plan on X with a graphic that the social media network flagged as "Made with AI". Republicans have been struggling to keep up with a shift in public opinion fueled by concerns that power-and water-hungry datacenters will push up energy costs and harm the environment.