Abbott's spokesman says the governor's data center steps protect Texans from higher costs
Greg AbbottGovernor of Texas and Republican nominee for governor, in a statement from spokesman Eduardo Leal to the Washington Examiner
In a statement to the Washington Examiner for its report on Hinojosa's moratorium pledge, Abbott spokesman Eduardo Leal says Abbott directed state regulators to require data centers to pay for their own infrastructure, bring their own power, reuse their own water and lower residential electric bills, and that these steps protect Texans from higher costs.
Responding to
Gina Hinojosa says that as governor she will issue a moratorium on all data center approvals in Texas until the Legislature passes laws to protect Texans.
“These steps protect Texans from higher costs and negative impacts on their communities. Governor Abbott will continue to work with the Legislature to protect Texans and ensure their voices are heard.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Texas Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa vows to pause new data center approvals until lawmakers pass protections
Gina Hinojosa, elected Texas governor on November 3, 2026, pledged during the campaign to issue a moratorium on all data center approvals until the Legislature passes laws to protect Texans. On November 5 she told CNN the state needs to stop what it is doing with data centers until those protections exist. The Data Center Coalition says its members will keep building in Texas while working with state leaders, and Trump wrote on November 6 that he will work with states that want to become rich from super intelligence, a term CNBC says he uses for data centers.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
The Washington Examiner reports Hinojosa's October 15 pledge to issue a moratorium on new data center approvals as governor, made to reporters in Austin, and a statement from Abbott spokesman Eduardo Leal in response.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The Washington Examiner reports that Hinojosa told reporters in Austin she would issue a moratorium on any new data centers and any approvals as governor, said data centers in Texas have no restriction on water or electricity, and claimed Abbott would end his temporary moratorium the day after the election. Leal says Abbott has been clear that data centers cannot come before Texas families.
After the quotation
The Washington Examiner reports that Abbott placed a moratorium on new data centers in Texas until state regulators can audit the proposed sites that want connection to the electric grid.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is Hinojosa's pledge to pause new data center approvals in Texas until the Legislature passes protections. Hinojosa says Abbott left data centers with no restrictions on water or electricity. Leal disputes that description by saying Abbott's steps already protect Texans, without addressing whether her pause should happen.
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The Dispute Index. "Abbott's spokesman says the governor's data center steps protect Texans from higher costs". First published: 2026-11-07. Last updated: 2026-11-07. https://disputeindex.com/events/8336-in-a-statement-to-the-washington-examiner-for