Abbott downplays tight polls in Texas governor's race against Gina Hinojosa, takes new steps to stop data centers

In the Texas governor's race, the polls are much tighter than perhaps anyone would have expected. As of Friday, the Real Clear Politics average of polls showed Gov. Greg Abbott leading Democrat Gina Hinojosa by 1.8 percentage points, 47.8% to 46%. While two polls have shown Hinojosa leading, Abbott still leads most polls and is heavily favored to win. Last week, CBS News Texas traveled north to Cooke County to ask him about his poll numbers.

When asked if the tight polling numbers are a reflection of high food prices, high gas prices, and high diesel prices nationally or if they are a reflection of the unpopularity of data centers, 765,000 transmission lines, and Flock cameras, Abbott said, "Polls don't win elections, and polls are often wrong. What I'm confident about is exactly where my campaign stands and the outcome. I'm going to win this race. I've got a broader goal, and that's to keep Texas, Texas."

Amid tightening poll numbers, the governor announced new steps to stop data center construction in Texas — in response to their unpopularity in rural areas. On his affordability tour in Gainesville, Abbott used his strongest language yet when discussing the data center industry. 

"What we have seen is a necessity to rein in an industry that was completely out of control," he said.

In the past week, he has charged two other state agencies with regulating data centers — and taken additional steps to restrict not only new data centers but also existing ones seeking new permits. 

"We've broadened the scope of what the hurdles are that data centers must clear before they're ever able to move forward," said Abbott.

Last month, Hinojosa told CBS News Texas that she was skeptical of the governor's plan to require data centers to provide their own power and water for their facilities. 

"The governor says he's issued a pause on any new data center approvals, but we know that he can change his mind on November 4," said Hinojosa. 

Abbott's new steps to stop data centers come several weeks after he told CBS News Texas that his pause was working. When asked if he thought it was still working and to respond to Hinojosa's statement, Abbott said, "First of all, the pause since I put it in place has worked. All data centers were coming out and fully announcing they were in full compliance with what I said and set forth. We are adding additional measures to make sure there's not just new data centers, but any data center that requires any permit in the state of Texas now comes to a halt."

It's a very different message now than the one Abbott expressed last November in Midlothian, when Google announced it was investing $40 billion in AI development. He said Texas would have the highest level of Google investment in AI data centers in the world.

Now, the governor has also announced he is backing local control on this issue. 

"What I want to see coming out of the legislature are rules and regulations that will empower local governments, such as counties or cities, to be the decision makers about whether or not any data centers will be able to go up in their county or city," he told supporters in Gainesville.

Rural Texas is a political firewall for Republicans, and the governor had this message for voters here: "We cherish our rural communities, small-town communities around the state. We are not going to tolerate these data centers coming in and disrupting our neighborhoods or rural communities or our landscapes across the state."

In the debate over debates, Hinojosa said she accepted four invitations to televised debates, but the governor has not done so. In a statement Friday afternoon, she said, "Abbott won't risk having to answer for selling out Texas to billionaires and big corporations and sticking us with the bill - but Texans already know they deserve better." 

In Sherman on Thursday, CBS News Texas asked Abbott if he would debate Hinojosa. 

"I'm doing three or four cities a day, going directly to the voters," said Abbott. "What I found in my experience that voters want the most is that voters want to see the governor, to see the candidates, to hear from them, but also do what we're having today - to ask them questions and so, I'm answering the questions of the voters directly."

The deadline to register to vote is Monday, Oct. 5. Early voting begins Monday, Oct. 19. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

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