Hi there! I am at the Ken Paxton election watch party in Dallas, where there’s an actual cannon representing the Battle of Gonzales — a symbol Paxton used to represent himself as a defender of traditional Texan culture. The polls have closed and reporters and videographers from national, regional and local media outlets are still outnumbering guests. Those who are in attendance are closely watching a big projector screen while munching on popcorn. The mood has dipped a little as early results trickle in showing Talarico leads in Tarrant, Collin and Denton counties — places that are up for grabs in the U.S. Senate race.

Alejandra Martinez is a Fort Worth-based environmental reporter. She’s covered the impacts of petrochemical facilities on Black and brown communities, including investigating a chemical fire at an industrial...