Data centers have become a major talking point as their growth continues to expand across Texas, sparking debate surrounding who should have the final say in their regulation and what should be regulated.

U.S. Senate candidates James Talarico and Ken Paxton both say data centers should not leave taxpayers and utility companies responsible for the cost of the industry's growth, but are offering voters different approaches to managing the impact of the industry on electricity, water, housing and local communities.

Why you should care: The rapid expansion of data centers across Texas has raised questions from Texans about how much water and electricity are being used once the center is online.