By The Daily Caller (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-20 21:13:06 | Updated at 2026-08-20 21:30:18
31 minutes ago
Democratic Texas Sen. candidate James Talarico has accepted millions from donors tied to the data center industry while accusing his opponent Ken Paxton of selling Texans out on the issue.
“He’s taken nearly half a million dollars from data center companies and then he turns around and protects those companies at our expense,” Talarico said during an interview Aug. 13 with MS NOW. (RELATED: Cornyn Aide Takes Job With Talarico: REPORT)
Paxton has received roughly $400,000 from data-center-connected donors, according to a NOTUS report, which cites Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, including reports filed by several political action committees.
Talarico, a Texas state senator, has received more than $11 million from donors with ties to the industry, according to FEC records.
He has rolled out his own proposals for regulating data centers ahead of the 2026 Senate race.
NEW: @JamesTalarico slams Paxton on data center cash: “He’s taken nearly half a million dollars from data center companies and then he turns around and protects those companies at our expense.
If we can defeat the most corrupt politician in our state, we can come together to… pic.twitter.com/VuzmWq8vcQ
Some of Talarico’s largest financial backers have connections to the data-center and AI industries, including Reid Hoffman, his largest individual donor, according to a Texas Tribune report.
Hoffman has contributed $10 million to the Lone Star Rising (LSR) PAC supporting Talarico, according to FEC filings. Hoffman is also a major Microsoft shareholder, with billions of dollars invested in the company, which operates and continues to expand data centers across Texas and the country.
Microsoft announced in July 2025 plans to invest $80 billion in AI data centers and infrastructure, including major projects in Texas, four of which are in San Antonio. Hoffman has also publicly advocated for expanding U.S. data-center capacity and energy infrastructure to remain globally competitive. (RELATED: How Politicians Changed Their Tune On Data Centers)
Stephen Mandel, founder and managing member of Lone Pine Capital, has also contributed roughly $500,000 to Talarico-affiliated groups, including LSR PAC, according to FEC filings.
Mandel’s investment portfolio includes companies tied to the data-center boom, including Talen Energy, which provides power for data centers, and Teradyne, which designs and manufactures advanced industrial robotics for the biggest tech companies.
Tench Coxe, a director at Nvidia who serves on several of the company’s committees, also has ties to the AI and data-center industry. Nvidia promotes the expansion of AI data centers and has been involved in projects in West Texas and Fort Worth.
.@JamesTalarico: We can start by cracking down on these data centers across the state, that are jacking up our utility bills, and using up all our water.
We just found out that Ken Paxton, the most corrupt politician in Texas, has taken nearly half a million dollars from data… pic.twitter.com/KGoqS5xHlU
Coxe’s wife, Simone, donated $500,000 in two installments to Talarico’s LSR PAC, according to the two FEC filings. Simone and Tench Coxe are also part-owners of Major League Soccer’s Austin FC. (RELATED: Hatred For Data Centers So Powerful We Now Have Our First Unhinged Commercial Bashing Them)
The Daily Caller reached out to Talarico’s campaign for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
