Democrats and Republicans in Hood County may have found some common ground: data centers.
Residents, elected officials and political candidates packed a town hall meeting in Granbury Wednesday night to voice their concerns over the rapid expansion of Al-related data centers in the county.
During the event, speakers described the issue as one that has moved beyond traditional political divides.
"This is one of those issues that can transcend the polar part of party politics," said Hood County GOP Chair Greg Harrell. "This is about the people here in rural Texas."
The meeting comes after months of debate surrounding proposed large-scale developments in the county, including the 2,100-acre Comanche Circle project and other data center proposals tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Common concerns include water consumption, noise pollution, power generation and the long-term environmental impact of the projects.
The issue has spurred a broad coalition of residents worried about unchecked industrial growth tied to Al infrastructure.
"You see in the room today, there's people of different political affiliations and backgrounds," resident Jacob Herbold said. "This is something that transcends politics."
The bipartisan nature of the debate was also reflected in the presence of Texas agriculture commissioner candidate Clayton Tucker, a Democrat, who was in attendance at the meeting in the largely Republican county.
"All Texans want to live a quiet life," Tucker said. "It doesn't matter whether you're left or right, city or country."
Tucker argued communities across Texas are increasingly uniting over concerns tied to large-scale Al infrastructure projects.
County Judge-elect Mark Lowrey said opposition to data centers became a major issue during his campaign to usurp current county judge Ron Sutton.
"I would say my position on data centers had a huge impact on my victory," Lowrey said.
Lowrey beat Sutton, who voted against the proposed moratoriums, in the county judge primary by nearly 19%. No Democratic candidate filed to run.
Lowrey said he supported previous efforts to temporarily pause large-scale development projects in Hood County while officials study their potential impacts.
"We need time," Lowrey said. "Slow down, understand more of the environmental impact and the future of what we want Hood County to become."
Residents near proposed developments also shared personal concerns during the meeting.
Jacob Herbold, who lives near the proposed Project Patriot site, said one of the planned power generation facilities would sit roughly 1,200 feet from his home.
"I have four kids," Herbold said. "This is me being a protector for our family."
The town hall follows multiple failed attempts by Hood County commissioners earlier this year to pass a temporary moratorium on large-scale developments such as data centers.
County leaders have argued state law may limit their authority to enact such restrictions.
The concerns emerging in Hood County mirror a broader debate unfolding across Texas as rural communities grapple with the rapid growth of Al infrastructure.
Earlier this week, Hill County commissioners approved what appears to be the first county-wide moratorium on new data center construction in unincorporated areas, citing public health and safety concerns.
In neighboring Somervell County, commissioners unanimously approved a resolution opposing new data center developments until the Texas Legislature adopts stronger regulations surrounding water and energy usage.
Many of those counties have repeatedly urged state lawmakers to grant local governments stronger regulatory authority and adopt stricter statewide rules governing large-scale Al data center projects.
Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela is KERA's breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Emmanuel at erivas@kera.org. KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members.
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