EXCLUSIVE: Greg Abbott Campaign Trolls ‘Radical’ Democrat Convention
'They can’t hide from their record'
Fossil fuels fuel the AI boom: Microsoft and Chevron partner on massive Texas energy project
A major tech company has announced that it is coming to Texas with a new partnership with an energy giant in the Lone Star State.
On Monday, Chevron announced that it is partnering with Microsoft to develop a new data center campus, known as "Project Kilby," in Texas.
The project will scale to an estimated capacity of 2.67 gigawatts of capacity over time.
The two companies signed a 20-year power purchase agreement in anticipation of the planned, "co-located" power plant and data center.
Reuters reported that the facility is set to be built in Pecos, Texas, west of Midland.
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"AI is reshaping the global economy, and abundant, affordable, reliable energy is essential to fueling that transformation," said Jeff Gustavson, Chevron president of New Energies, in a Monday press release. "Chevron is uniquely positioned to deliver power to customers with certainty, speed, and at a competitive cost, leveraging Permian natural gas and our proven execution capabilities. This project links Chevron's traditional strengths to emerging demand, creating differentiated value for our shareholders and the communities where we operate."
This agreement, the press release notes, is an important milestone leading up to the final investment decision, which is expected to be made at the end of this year. The "first power delivery is anticipated in 2028." The project will scale to an estimated capacity of 2.67 gigawatts of capacity over time.
The joint infrastructure appears to be designed, at least in theory, to avoid burdening residential neighbors with higher electricity rates, one of many oft-repeated objections to new data centers being built.
The press release claims that "Kilby is designed to deliver reliable, dispatchable electricity directly to Microsoft while aiming to mitigate impacts on the regional grid that consumers rely on," presumably by, at least in part, circumventing the main power grid in the state.
While proponents of the deal point to economic growth potential for the state and efforts to mitigate negative environmental impacts, critics say there may be some serious drawbacks to the plan.
For example, a Mother Jones article from last month noted that Microsoft may intend to take advantage of significant tax incentives that could cost the state heavily.
Greg LeRoy, the executive director of Good Jobs First, pointed out that Microsoft does not mention tax abatements in its pledge. "If they don't say, 'We will refuse tax abatements,' then they've got their fingers crossed behind their back," LeRoy told Mother Jones.
Oil & Gas Watch warned that the project may have significant environmental impacts, including a yearly output of over 13.8 million tons of greenhouse gases, a comparable annual output to that of nearly 3 million gas-powered vehicles.
This agreement comes less than two weeks after Governor Greg Abbott (R) directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to "take immediate steps to protect residential ratepayers from the costs of data center expansion."
In the letter, Abbott directed the PUC to "take action to require data centers to pay for all of their electric infrastructure costs to ensure that no residential ratepayer is burdened by those costs." Abbott added that these directives are building upon Senate Bill 6 and directed the PUC and ERCOT to submit a report by July 17 and to take action to reduce residential ratepayer transmission costs by July 31.
Project Kilby will primarily use natural gas power and plans to "use non-potable, brackish groundwater sources for power plant operations."
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Suspected gunman dead after standoff in Texas, officials say
A deadly shooting unfolded in Midland, Texas, Friday morning before a standoff with police that reportedly left the suspected gunman dead.
Midland Police responded to an active shooting incident in the 4600 block of West Wall Street, officials said.
'We see the drones, and then we see the Texas Rangers and the undercover cars with lights on. ... Had to be, seems like, 50 police officers, like a small army.'
Officers heard gunfire coming from a building and worked quickly to secure and clear the area, officials said, adding that "armored units were deployed, and partner agencies assisted in the response."
The shooting left at least one victim dead and 10 others injured, officials told NBC News.
The suspect was seen dead with a drone, Midland Mayor Lori Blong told CBS News.
More from NBC News:
Nine victims were taken to Midland Memorial Hospital, a spokesperson for the hospital said. Three are undergoing surgeries, and one is in recovery. Two others are stable and remain in the emergency department, and three have been discharged.
Another person was taken to Odessa Medical Center Hospital.
A spokesperson for the city could not confirm if all of the victims had been shot.
Video reportedly from the scene captured the startling sounds of the shooting.
Blong added to CBS News there was no indication that any police officers were injured.
Lee Carlisle was at a nearby Super 8 Motel and described to CBS News what he saw and heard.
"We heard several, several gunshots, like 20 gunshots, and then it moved down — the whole situation moved further down," Carlisle told the news network. "We see the drones, and then we see the Texas Rangers and the undercover cars with lights on. ... Had to be, seems like, 50 police officers, like a small army."
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott released a statement: "Cecilia and I are deeply saddened by the senseless act of violence in Midland. We are praying for the victims, their families, and the entire community," he wrote on social media.
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"I have been briefed on the matter and commend the swift response from the Midland Police Department, DPS and all assisting law enforcement agencies," Abbott added.
Midland is located in Western Texas about three hours south of Lubbock.
This is a developing story; updates may be added.
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‘The Indian media is going crazy’: Sara Gonzales calls out its obsession with her H-1B investigations
As BlazeTV’s Sara Gonzales continues her investigations into H-1B fraud in the state of Texas, the Indian media is growing more angsty.
“The Indian media is going crazy over my latest H-1B video,” says Sara, referring to her recent exposé in Frisco/Plano, where she confronted Great America Technologies’ owner Nagarjuna Reddy Sakam over suspected fraud.
Even though Sara’s H-1B investigations have sparked significant legal action from the state — including Attorney General Ken Paxton’s investigations, CIDs, and lawsuits against nearly 30 North Texas businesses, plus Gov. Greg Abbott’s freeze on new H-1B petitions by state agencies and universities — the Indian media continues to frame the Indian community as the victims.
“The Indian media is working overtime to try to discredit what I show in my videos,” says Sara.
She points out the irony of Indian media outlets trying to invalidate her investigations using an obscure report by a self-proclaimed entrepreneur who goes by the name James Blunt (@JBlunt1018), who apparently claimed that he “looked into the company and found nothing wrong.”
Given his strongly pro-Indian immigrant stance and an X profile picture that appears to be AI-generated, Sara strongly suspects that Blunt is “some sort of an Indian national.”
She then plays a clip from Times XP, a video news platform from the Times of India, where a news anchor claimed that America’s “social media activism,” “immigration politics,” and Sara’s “online investigation” are creating a “dangerous coalition” that might hurt Indian immigration efforts.
“This story is no longer just about H1B visas or the companies in Texas. It is becoming a part of much larger battle over immigration identity and who gets to define the American workforce in the years ahead,” the anchor said.
“I got a big problem with people in India trying to dictate to America what our workforce looks like or should look like,” says Sara in response.
She notes that according to “credible sources,” she is now being “monitored by the Indian government.”
But Sara isn’t phased.
“I'm not going to stop. We're going to keep going until all your buddies get sent home,” she declares.
To hear more, watch the video above.
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Muslim-only water park event controversy EXPLODES as organizer's husband targets Sara Gonzales: 'It starts with her'
When BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales stumbled upon a flyer for a Muslim water park event in Grand Prairie, Texas, she was disturbed to find that it was “Muslims only” and immediately reported on it.
The city promptly shut it down.
After Gonzales interviewed the organizer of the event, who was shocked to find that Gonzales was critical of her Muslim-only event at a publicly funded park, the organizer’s husband sent Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Gonzales a message.
“Now he is trying to fight all of this with some videos of his own,” Gonzales says, “very interesting videos, very poorly done.”
“The governor of Texas is attacking my family, and I’m sick of it. Two days ago, Greg Abbott forced the city of Grand Prairie to cancel our Eid event at Epic Waters. For the past two years, my wife and I rented out the entire park so Muslim families could celebrate Eid in a modest environment,” the man said.
“Then Islamaphobes got ahold of a private flyer and twisted it into something it was never meant to be. We never banned other religions and even changed the wording to ‘modest dress only’ to make that crystal clear,” he continued.
“But Greg Abbott, he don’t care about facts. He fueled the flames of hatred, empowered these hate-filled politicians, and turned my family into a political target. Now we’re receiving death threats and harassments because of it,” he said. “But hear me clearly. I’m not going to back down.”
He also warned that he would be taking “hate-filled politicians down.”
“It was the city who decided … they weren’t going to actually agree with your religious discrimination that you quite literally did,” Gonzales says.
However, he didn’t just go after Abbott. He also went after Gonzales herself.
“My life is in danger. And I think I just figured out why,” he said.
“I found the woman who claims to be the person who wrote the story — the super Islamophobe herself,” he said, sharing a photo of Gonzales.
“My wife’s information gets spread online on purpose by her to her hateful followers. People start targeting my family. Death threats start coming in. So I DM her directly. The DM she showed in her video, but it’s not the whole DM. Sara, you left out a really important part,” he continued.
He went on to ask viewers to “comment DM” on his video if they want to see the “full DM.”
“Somebody asked me, ‘How you going to take down Governor Abbott?’ It starts with these bigoted, hateful, racist, Islamophobe podcasters who the government is employing to sow seeds of division between Americans and spew hate. We take them down first,” he continued.
“It starts with her,” he added.
“If the government's paying me for this,” Gonzales laughs, “the check got lost in the mail.”
Want more from Sara Gonzales?
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Sara Gonzales’ viral H-1B exposés spark MORE action as JD Vance declares ‘a lot of fraud’ in the system
BlazeTV host and investigative journalist Sara Gonzales has been rolling out viral video after viral video exposing alleged widespread H-1B visa abuses in Texas.
Her investigations into alleged “sham” companies, empty offices/mailboxes listed as worksites, and “H-1B only” job ads have led to quick government responses.
In January, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered an immediate halt on all new H-1B visa petitions by Texas state agencies and public universities (through May 2027), citing abuse that displaces American workers. Shortly after, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched probes into at least three North Texas companies suspected of running fake operations to sponsor H-1B workers.
In April, the Department of Justice fined Compunnel Software Group Inc. $313,420 for posting job ads that specified “H-1B visa only” after Sara exposed one of these discriminatory recruiter ads.
And now, Sara says, “JD Vance is involved.”
Last month, the White House launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, with Vice President JD Vance serving as chair.
This initiative, Sara says, “is going to include H-1Bs.”
She then plays a clip from Vance’s April 14 Turning Point USA speech in Georgia, where he stated that there is “a lot of fraud in the H-1B system,” accused Big Tech of taking advantage of the program, and called on Congress to codify the Trump administration’s reforms that have already cut new H-1B approvals by 90%.
While Sara is “extremely grateful for everything that the Trump administration has done with trying to curb what is very obviously an invasion,” the progress that’s happened is just a “first step,” she says.
From high registration numbers and unchecked renewals to the $100,000 fee loopholes and continued mass sponsorships by Big Tech, Sara says “there is more work to be done.”
“If there is a scam, if there is a fraud to be had within the system, the folks in Hyderabad are going to sniff it right out, and they’re going to get on top of it. So, Congress needs to act on this,” she urges. “We need a new plan because this is still broken and not working.”
To hear more, watch the video above.
Want more from Sara Gonzales?
To enjoy more of Sara's no-holds-barred takes on news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.
'As long as I'm governor ...': Abbott's resurfaced message to Indian community faces renewed scrutiny online
As more people become aware of the way the H-1B visa program is transforming Texas, many are turning to see what their leaders have to say about it.
Unfortunately, in the case of Texas, the answer is not what Americans might expect from a red state.
'We will continue to celebrate Diwali here in the great state of Texas.'
In a resurfaced video clip, Governor Greg Abbott (R) can be heard giving a message to the "Indian community," apparently around the time of Diwali.
"As long as I'm governor of this great state, Texas will be a land for the Indian community," Abbott says in the clip.
"We will continue to celebrate Diwali here in the great state of Texas. Happy Diwali, everybody!"
The clip, which went viral on Monday, appears to originally be from a November 3, 2024, Diwali celebration at the governor's mansion.
A video of his remarks was uploaded on TikTok two days after the event, on November 5, 2024.
Diwali is a major Hindu holiday, celebrated in the lunar months of Ashvina and Karttika, that marks the victory of light over darkness, according to Britannica. A notable feature of this pagan holiday is the "row of lights" that is associated with the celebrations.
Abbott's office has previously denied to Blaze News any involvement in facilitating the H-1B program in Texas, noting that it is a federal program. His office has also touted the governor's pause of H-1B visas at state-sponsored institutions.
A Blaze News analysis of Department of Labor data from the first quarter of fiscal year 2026 found that Texas companies sponsored and certified over 11,200 H-1B visa applications, second only to California, which brought in over 13,700 H-1B visas, according to available data.
Blaze News reached out to Abbott's office for comment about the resurfaced video but did not receive a response.
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Tuesday’s must-watch primaries: The races that will determine if America First takes over in 2026
Voters in three states head to the polls on Tuesday, March 3, in the first major test of whether the America First movement will dominate the 2026 midterms, as several prominent Republican incumbents face key primary challenges.
'I just haven't made a decision on that race yet.'
Texas
The highest-profile race Tuesday is arguably the Senate primary matchup between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Rep. Wesley Hunt, and several other Republican candidates.
It is the most costly Senate primary race in history, with over $122 million spent. Cornyn, who was first elected in 2002, accounts for over 57% of total spending, with $69 million in ad buying by his campaign and outside groups. Total ad buy in support of Hunt is $12 million; for Paxton, $4.1 million.
Paxton has accused Cornyn of betraying Trump and the America First movement.
“I’m running to beat Fake Republican John Cornyn. The race is a DEAD HEAT,” Paxton said on Monday as part of an effort to encourage his conservative supporters to contribute to his campaign.
Cornyn warned Texans not to vote for Paxton.
“Ken Paxton will be the kiss of death for Republicans on the ticket in November of 2026,” Cornyn said in February.
"I think the attorney general, if he's the nominee, could very well lose the seat," he continued. "But if he doesn't lose the seat, he's not going to win except by the hair of his chin. And unfortunately, that will not help the down-ballot races."
President Donald Trump has not endorsed any candidates in the Texas Senate GOP primary race.
"I just haven't made a decision on that race yet," Trump told reporters in February.
"I like all three of them," Trump said, referring to Cornyn, Paxton, and Hunt. "Actually, I like all three. Those are the toughest races. They've all supported me. They're all good, and you're supposed to pick one, so we'll see what happens."
Also seeking to take over Cornyn's seat, on the Democrat side, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett is facing off against state Rep. James Talarico. Total ad spending in support of Crockett reaches roughly $4.5 million, with $20.8 million for Talarico.
A poll from the University of Texas at Tyler showed Crockett, who received an endorsement from former Vice President Kamala Harris last week, with a double-digit lead over Talarico.
“Heading into Election Day, especially with multiple polls showing me ahead," Crockett told her supporters, "I want you to be ready to tune out the noise, the falsehoods, and the onslaught of attacks from D.C. insiders, the Epstein class, and all those who benefit from the status quo.”
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With Paxton running in the Senate election, multiple Republicans have thrown their hats into the ring to become the state's next attorney general, including Rep. Chip Roy, attorney Aaron Reitz, and state Senators Mayes Middleton and Joan Huffman.
Texas voters will also select their nominee in the gubernatorial primary election, with the general election scheduled for November 3. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is seeking a fourth term and faces several challengers.
There are also 38 U.S. congressional seats in Texas up for grabs in Tuesday's election.
Incumbent Rep. Tony Gonzales is up for re-election amid a political crisis over a scandal involving a former staffer who died by suicide. Gonzales is set to have a rematch against Brandon Herrera, a firearms influencer who nearly beat Gonzales in a 2024 runoff.
Incumbent Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R), elected to the House in 2018, is the only Texas Republican incumbent who has not received Trump's endorsement this election cycle. He is facing competition from three Republican candidates: attorney Martin Etwop, Army veteran Nicholas Plumb, and state Rep. Steve Toth.
Polling in Texas opens at 7:00 a.m. and closes at 7:00 p.m local time. Voting in the Republican or Democrat primary does not require party affiliation. However, voters who choose to participate in one party's primary will be affiliated with that party for the rest of 2026. This affiliation will prevent those voters from casting ballots in the other party's runoff election.
If no candidate secures more than 50% of the primary vote, the top two candidates will advance to a runoff election on May 26.
North Carolina
In June, Sen. Thom Tillis (R) announced his retirement, prompting a dozen candidates, including six Republicans and six Democrats, to run for his seat. Former Republican Party Chair Michael Whatley, who secured Trump's endorsement, is the most prominent name on the GOP side. Former Gov. Roy Cooper is leading the Democrat primary election.
North Carolina voters will also cast their ballots to select 14 candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. local time. The state holds partially closed elections, in which voters can select only their party's ballots. Unaffiliated voters may choose a Republican or Democratic ballot, but they cannot vote in more than one primary.
In North Carolina, a runoff election is triggered when the second-place candidate requests it, but this applies only in primaries where the first-place candidate receives 30% or less of the vote. The state's potential runoffs would be held on May 12.
Arkansas
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) is up for re-election. While she is running unopposed in the Republican primary, Democrats have a contested primary on Tuesday to choose who will face Sanders. Democrats will decide between state Sen. Fredrick Love and businesswoman Supha Xayprasith-Mays. Libertarian Party candidate Colt Shelby will be on the ballot in the general election on November 3.
Incumbent Sen. Tom Cotton (R), who took office in 2015, is competing to retain his seat against two Republican candidates: Pastor Micah Ashby and Arkansas State Police Trooper Jeb Little.
RELATED: 3 contentious Texas primaries that hang in the balance
All of Arkansas' four U.S. House districts are holding primary elections on Tuesday.
Arkansas' polling sites will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. local time. The state conducts open primaries, allowing voters to select either a Republican or Democratic ballot at the polls without registering with the chosen party.
The state's runoff elections are triggered if no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote. These runoff elections would be held on March 31.
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