The mood in the room at Ken Paxton’s watch party has turned a bit bleak, with the crowd thinning as people begin to leave. Amid the dwindling gathering, four men embraced in a two-minute prayer, their heads swaying and eyes squeezed shut. One of them, Joshua Feuerstein from Dallas said, “We prayed for the great Republic of Texas. Whatever happens tonight, God will use it for his glory.”

Worried expressions and some furrowed brows are visible across the room. Near the screen, a group of women have pulled up chairs and settled into what appears to be a serious conversation as they await for more results.

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...