People Fighting Back
Candidates Who Share Our Concerns.
These candidates have spoken publicly about the real costs of unchecked AI infrastructure development in West Texas. Their positions on housing, taxation, worker protections, and corporate accountability align with what this community has been demanding. SaveAbilene does not endorse candidates. We document who is paying attention.
Riley Rodriguez
A working class Abilenian who has cowboyed, worked the oilfield, and run a small business in the heart of District 28. The first Hispanic Democrat to run for this seat in 30 years. He decided to run because of what Stargate is doing to the place he has called home his entire life.
"This is corporate profiteering and it's rampant in our state legislature, all done under the guise of economic development. In reality working Texans bear the infrastructure costs and suffer while tech oligarchs get rich by avoiding property taxes and receive taxpayer grants. It's not economic development. It's mal-development."
Riley Rodriguez — Candidate, TX Senate District 28
Diana Luna
Born and raised in Abilene. Nearly 20 years in nonprofit advocacy managing government grants for refugee services, health insurance, and community programs. A native Abilenian who has been organizing her community long before she decided to run for office.
"What happens is that, because of the amount of electricity these things need to run, the cost gets passed on to the taxpayer. There are so many things that have been either hegemonic in our economy or completely unregulated that we end up footing the bill as just regular citizens."
Diana Luna — Candidate, TX House District 71Kyle Rable
Army Reserve captain, historian, and Ph.D. candidate at Texas Tech running for the open TX-19 congressional seat. Born from a working-class family. Running on the principle that both parties have taken West Texas for granted for too long.
"AI is revolutionizing everyday life, and Congress is failing the people by neglecting its responsibility to regulate this new industry. Instead of promoting best practices, Congress continues to sit idly by. As your next Congressman, I will establish a bipartisan commission focused on protecting American workers from the impacts of AI."
Kyle Rable — Candidate, TX Congressional District 19 — rableforwesttexas.comRable has also called for legislation penalizing companies that mishandle personal data and for breaking up monopolies that profit off West Texas workers and farmers. His district covers the same West Texas footprint that includes Abilene and the Stargate buildout.
rableforwesttexas.com →