Gov. Greg Abbott received approximately $9 million in campaign donations from data center-related donors between July 2025 and October 2026 while also issuing regulatory recommendations and pausing approvals for new data center grid connections. The donations accounted for about 13% of Abbott's total campaign funds during that period.
Where
Statewide
When
Oct. 19, 2026
Sources
Reported by 4 outlets
Taxes and money
The sources don't state an effect on taxes. They do state these figures.
Campaign donations from data center-related donorsapproximately $9 million124Who pays or receives it: Data center-related donors
Campaign donations from direct data center developers, owners or operatorsmore than $4.9 million124Who pays or receives it: People and companies that develop, own or operate data centers
Campaign donations from donors with indirect data center links$4.1 million124Who pays or receives it: People and companies with indirect data center ties
Campaign donations in June 2025 from data center-related donors$1.5 million124Who pays or receives it: Data center-related donors
Campaign donations after data center approval pause announcement$2.8 million124Who pays or receives it: Data center-related donors
Combined campaign donations to Abbott$1 million124Who pays or receives it: Rhett Bennett and Black Mountain
Campaign donation to Abbott$100,000124Who pays or receives it: Toby Neugebauer
Who's involved
Greg AbbottTexas governor
Rhett BennettCEO of Black Mountain
Black MountainEnergy company building hyperscale data centers
Toby NeugebauerFormer CEO of Fermi America
Jeff YassGOP megadonor with investments in AI and data center companies
The Texas TribuneConducted analysis of donations
Gina HinojosaDemocratic opponent of Abbott
The facts
In June 2026, Abbott issued regulatory recommendations to the Legislature including ending a major tax break for data centers.124Stated by 3 sources
In August 2026, Abbott paused approvals for data centers seeking to connect to Texas electrical grid pending statewide audit.124Stated by 3 sources
Abbott has raised about $9 million from data center-related donors since July 2025, representing 13% of his total campaign donations.124Stated by 3 sources
More than half of Abbott's data center donations came from people or companies that develop, own or operate data centers.124Stated by 3 sources
The Texas Tribune analyzed donations of at least $25,000 to Abbott or Gina Hinojosa since July 2025.124Stated by 3 sources
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
Greg Abbott Data centers dug their own grave and got the backlash they deserve for not gaining community buy-in.124
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
Greg Abbott raked in $9 million from data center-related donors as he called for regulations
These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.
Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a $45 million settlement with Gilead Sciences to resolve claims the company engaged in an illegal kickback scheme that improperly influenced prescriptions paid by Texas Medicaid.
$$45 million for settlement payment
Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General; Gilead Sciences, Inc., Pharmaceutical company defendant
Texas A&M University-San Antonio opened a new $55 million Public Health and Education Building on Wednesday. The 35,000-square-foot facility houses academic programs and will support medical education and training through partnership with Texas A&M's College of Medicine and University Health.
$$55 million for building construction and development
Texas A&M University-San Antonio, opened the building; Glenn Hegar, Texas A&M University System Chancellor; Salvador Hector Ochoa, TAMUSA President and 3 more
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance with Lululemon USA Inc. regarding concerns about potentially harmful "forever chemicals" in activewear. The settlement requires the company to enforce chemical safety standards across its supply chain through independent lab testing and third-party certifications for three years.
Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General; Lululemon USA Inc., Activewear company subject to settlement
Texas Comptroller Don Huffines announced an executive order barring businesses that require customers to show COVID-19 vaccination or post-transmission recovery documentation from receiving contracts or grants from the Comptroller's office. The order requires contractors and grantees to certify compliance with Texas Health and Safety Code Section 161.0085.
Don Huffines, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Texas Comptroller Don Huffines signed four orders he called executive orders. Three weeks prior, he issued the first, targeting virtual marketplace seller fees. He then issued three more orders addressing medical records taxes, Flock camera funding, and state diversity programs. The orders direct comptroller staff to begin changing agency rules.
$Huffines said the virtual marketplace order puts tens of millions of dollars annually back in the pocket of Texas families and small businesses [1,2,3].
Don Huffines, Texas Comptroller; Brandon Rottinghaus, University of Houston political science professor
Attorney General Ken Paxton's office launched a statewide inquiry into data center water consumption. Official notices were sent to 156 data center developments across 32 Texas counties after state officials noted noncompliance with mandatory environmental reporting requirements and failure to complete the Texas Water Development Board's water use survey.
Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General; Texas Attorney General's Office, Enforcement agency launching inquiry; Texas Water Development Board, Agency whose water use survey was not completed by data centers
Gov. Greg Abbott stated the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission would not vote on a potential sale of Boca Chica State Park to SpaceX anytime soon. Texas Monthly had reported the commission was planning to discuss the 1,300-acre park sale at its Nov. 5 meeting, but the Parks and Wildlife Department later said the property was not on that agenda.
$$26 million for proposed sale price of Boca Chica State Park
Greg Abbott, Governor; Gina Hinojosa, Democratic gubernatorial candidate; Stephanie Garcia, Texas Parks and Wildlife spokesperson and 1 more
Sul Ross State University established a permanent, endowed fellowship for graduate student groundwater research at the Meadows Research Institute with $500,000 in support from Google.org. The first fellow will be selected in 2027.
$$500,000 for endowed fellowship support
Sul Ross State University, established endowed fellowship; Google.org, provided $500,000 in support; Dr. Carlos Hernandez, president of Sul Ross State University and 1 more