Tech companies and AI have emerged as a major focus of 2026 midterm election campaigns. Both Republican and Democratic candidates are running ads and making speeches attacking or defending datacenters, AI, and tech billionaires. Ken Paxton, the Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Texas, has called for a slowdown on AI despite the industry's pro-Trump alignment.
Where
Statewide
When
October 2026
Sources
Reported by 2 outlets
Taxes and money
The sources don't state an effect on taxes. They do state these figures.
PAC fundraising for tech-friendly candidatesmore than $75 million12Who pays or receives it: Leading the Future PAC
Republican political spending$366 million2Who pays or receives it: Elon Musk
Who's involved
Ken PaxtonRepublican U.S. Senate candidate in Texas
James TalaricoDemocratic U.S. Senate candidate in Texas
Three Star PacDemocrat-aligned PAC running anti-datacenter campaign ads
Greg BrockmanOpenAI president and co-founder of Leading the Future PAC
Marc AndreessenVenture capitalist and co-founder of Leading the Future PAC
Elon MuskSpaceX CEO funding Republican causes
Donald TrumpPresident
The facts
More than 150 midterm election campaign commercials across the U.S. focused on datacenters or AI.1
Three Star Pac, Democrat-aligned, ran attack ad against Tennessee Republican citing datacenter law.1
Ken Paxton is calling for a slowdown on AI despite pro-AI party line.1
Leading the Future PAC has raised more than $75 million to back tech-friendly candidates.12Stated by 2 sources
Elon Musk has spent $366 million on Republican causes in this cycle.2
Musk declared on X platform that there is something deeply wrong with Talarico on Wednesday.2
Democratic strategists told The Atlantic that data centers are a top wedge issue for normally loyal GOP voters.2
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
Three Star Pac Datacenters will take over rivers, neighborhoods, and farmland.1
James Talarico A trillionaire is buying his own personal U.S. senator through campaign spending.2
Elon Musk There is something deeply wrong with Talarico.2
The Guardian Polls show economy, democracy, and healthcare rate as more important than tech among voters.1
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
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.
Data centers have become a significant campaign issue across multiple Texas races, with candidates from both parties calling for stricter regulation and oversight. Governor Greg Abbott previously promoted data centers but shifted to calling for a six-month permit moratorium, which the TCEQ began enforcing in October.
Dan Patrick, Lt. Governor; Sid Miller, Texas Agriculture Commissioner who lost Republican primary; Greg Abbott, Governor and 9 more
Texas election law allows eligible voters who moved from one county to another to cast a limited ballot in statewide and certain district races even if their registration still reflects their previous address. The limited ballot option is available during early voting (October 19-30) before the November 3 election.
Christian Hudspeth, Logistics Coordinator; Texas Secretary of State's Office, State election authority
Voting has begun in Texas's 34th Congressional District with four candidates on the ballot. Early voting ends October 30, and Election Day is November 3.
Eddie Espinoza, Green Party candidate; Eric Flores, Republican candidate; Vicente Gonzalez, Democratic candidate, serving fifth term in Congress and 1 more
Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democrat state Rep. James Talarico have released campaign ads and made statements attacking each other as the midterm election approaches. Paxton has criticized Talarico's record on taxes and energy policy; Talarico has attacked Paxton's legal history.
$$500 million for campaign spending
Ken Paxton, Republican Texas Attorney General running for U.S. Senate; James Talarico, Democrat state Rep. running for U.S. Senate; Ben Ferguson, mentioned in Paxton campaign post
An analysis of campaign advertising data shows Republicans and Democrats have evolved their top issues since June. Republicans spent $359 million emphasizing crime, taxation, and transgender issues; Democrats spent $156.1 million focusing on taxation, healthcare, and corruption.
$$359 million for republican campaign advertising spending
Republicans, political party with candidates in Texas statewide races; Democrats, political party with candidates in Texas statewide races; Ken Paxton, Republican Senate candidate and 3 more
Pamphlets marketed to transgender youth were mailed to Texas households this week, offering advice on legal emancipation, hormone therapy, and out-of-state care resources. The Transgender Education Network of Texas denied sending them or printing them, though the mailers listed the organization's name. The sender's identity is unknown.
Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT), advocacy organization named on mailers; denied sending or printing them; Texas Transgender Student Union, return address listed on mailers; Wyoming Secretary of State, registered the sending organization last month
Texas voters have until October 23 to apply to vote by mail in the midterm elections. Texas requires voters to meet specific qualifications to vote by mail and to submit a new application each year.
Texas voters, eligible applicants for vote-by-mail
A new Fox News poll released Wednesday shows Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico each at 49% support among likely Texas voters in the U.S. Senate race, with less than two weeks until Election Day. The candidates have not agreed to debate.
Ken Paxton, Republican U.S. Senate candidate; James Talarico, Democrat U.S. Senate candidate; Fox News, polling organization and 1 more