Texans denounce Elon Musk after his $474 million midterm gamble collapses
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Elon Musk’s $474 million push for Republican candidates failed to stop Democratic wins in Texas, intensifying local anger over his data-center projects and the power of billionaire influence.
Elon Musk poured $474 million into Republican campaigns in the recent Texas midterms, including $224 million in the Senate race, yet Democrats still captured the Senate seat, a state House majority and the governorship. The outcome fueled outrage among residents who see Musk’s sprawling data-centre expansions as an assault on the state’s rural character.
"We just sent a message to every billionaire mega-donor, every trillionaire mega-donor," Democratic senator James Talarico said in his victory speech, adding that power belongs to the people.
Local farmer Colby Smith, who did not vote in the election, voiced deep frustration with the growing number of data centres, saying they have "bulldozed everything flat" and wiped wildlife from the landscape.
A University of Houston poll released last month found that eight in ten likely Texas voters support limits on the number of data centres built in the state.
Governor Greg Abbott, who had previously promoted Texas as an AI hub, ordered a freeze on new data-centre connections to the power grid, a move that drew criticism from President Donald Trump.
Musk responded on X, the platform he owns, that "Data centres in space looking pretty appealing right now," after deleting earlier election-day posts urging support for Republican candidates.
Democratic candidates also spotlighted Musk’s role in the campaign, with Talarico describing the victory as a rebuke of "billionaires who own the social media algorithms."
The controversy comes as Musk’s Texas investments, including a planned megafactory for AI chips and the expansion of SpaceX’s Starbase launch site, face growing scrutiny from the new Democratic leadership.
"The data is needed but the way they’re doing it is wrong," said software engineer John Boyd, who voted for the Democratic candidates.
State officials, including newly elected Senator Gina Hinojosa, have called for a pause on decisions affecting the Boca Chica beach area while the transition proceeds, emphasizing the need to protect local environments.