Texas — alongside its cowboy hats, slow-smoked barbecue, and de-regulatory stance — was expected to be the California antidote for tech bros fed up alongside Silicon Valley's Democratic politics.
Well, Texas fair got a lot bluer.
On Tuesday, during the midterm elections, Texas voters selected Democrats James Talarico for the Senate and Gina Hinojosa for the governor's mansion, notwithstanding enormous Republican spending backed byTesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
Now, the tech-world frustration is starting to trickle out.
"Data centers in area looking beautiful appealing correct now," Musk wrote on X.
Jason Calacanis, a tech capitalist and co-host of the "All-In Podcast," had a akin reaction.
"I never expected Texas to rotate blue," he wrote on X. "Ugh, I moved current to get distant from the remaining lunacy!"
It was apparent complete the former twelvemonth that President Trump was going to guide the GOP off the cliff since of ice, the war, tariffs, the another war and inflation. … but I never expected Texas to rotate blue 🤯 Ugh, I moved current to get distant from the remaining lunacy! https://t.co/VTFzfXchHp
— @jason (@Jason) November 4, 2026
Chamath Palihapitiya, another "All-In" co-host, was additional dire during a Tuesday-night livestream.
"There's lone one item that sinks the US economy," he said. "That's the AI trade. And the lone way to descend the AI commerce is to descend the data centers. And the lone way to descend the data centers is to descend the power. And all the power that matters correct now is in West Texas."
Alex Cohen, the Texas-based CEO and cofounder of AI healthcare business Hello Patient, had a blunter reply on X: "RIP AI it was fun during it lasted."
The Lone Star State had not elected a statewide Democratic applicant since Ann Richards won the governor's competition in 1990. Talarico is the archetypal Democrat to win a Texas Senate ballot since Lloyd Bentsen in 1988.
Not everyone in tech is furious at the results. LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman, a notable donor for Democrats, called the midterm elections, including the Texas results, "an overwhelming motion against Trump and his cronies," in a article on X.
As of publication, multiple outspoken Texas-based tech figures — including David Sacks, Travis Kalanick, and Blockchain co-CEO Lane Kasselman — had not posted concerning the results.
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Ben Shimkus is a newsman for the Business News desk. He writes concerning cars, transportation, retail, and jobs. Ben's reporting has appeared in Rolling Stone, The Verge, Automotive News, USA Today, AutoBody News, LGBTQ Nation, TopSpeed, and Out Magazine. He's additionally held personnel penning positions at The U.S. Sun and the Daily Mail. He graduated from NYU alongside a Master's in reporting in 2024. Email Ben at [email protected] or communication him privately on Signal at bshimkus.41.
