Rodriguez Pushes Data Center Voice in Senate Race
Democrat Riley Rodriguez makes a final push to unseat incumbent Charles Perry in Texas Senate District 28 ahead of Election Day.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Data Centers
Live Poll
Should communities have a formal vote before hyperscale data centers are approved locally?
Democratic candidate Riley Rodriguez is making a final campaign push to unseat incumbent Charles Perry in Texas Senate District 28, with Election Day set for Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Rodriguez has proposed a County Voice Act to give communities a greater role in hyperscale data center decisions.
Why it matters
Rodriguez says large-scale data center projects require significant infrastructure investments, and communities should have a say before decisions are made. The proposal reflects a broader debate over how local residents can weigh in on projects shaped by state lawmakers.
The proposal would use the same process counties use to set a tax rate, applied to hyperscale data centers. The extraction does not indicate the outcome of the race or whether the measure has advanced beyond a campaign proposal.
The players
Riley Rodriguez
Democratic candidate for Texas Senate District 28 and a native of Abilene, who has proposed the County Voice Act.
Charles Perry
Incumbent state senator representing Texas Senate District 28, whom Rodriguez is seeking to unseat.
The details
Rodriguez, a native of Abilene, is also campaigning on rural food insecurity, teacher pay and rural health care. Rodriguez says the campaign focuses on giving communities a stronger voice in decisions made by state lawmakers.
Timeline
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Election Day for the Texas Senate District 28 race.
Big Picture
The proposal applies a familiar county budgeting mechanism to a newer category of large infrastructure, extending local input into a sector typically decided at the state level.
Residents near proposed hyperscale data centers could gain a formal voice in siting and tax decisions if measures like the County Voice Act are adopted. Voters in Texas Senate District 28 will choose between Rodriguez and Perry on Election Day.
The takeaway
Local input on data center projects is becoming a live question in state races, so voters may want to ask candidates how they would involve communities in such decisions before casting a ballot.
What happens next
Election Day for Texas Senate District 28 is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more on Data Centers coverage across Texas.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Texomashomepage.com - KFDX, KJTL.
Live Poll
Should communities have a formal vote before hyperscale data centers are approved locally?
