(The Texas Tribune) - Data center approvals could remain paused in Texas until legislators pass new state laws next year if Democrat Gina Hinojosa keeps her campaign promises after winning the governor's race in a stunning victory Tuesday.

Her statements on the campaign trail went beyond Gov. Greg Abbott's current freeze on environmental permitting and grid connections for data centers during an audit period expected to be completed this year.

Grassroots opposition to data centers has mounted in communities across Texas, where critics across the political spectrum expressed concerns about the almost unbelievable projections for how much power the facilities could draw from the state's grid and the unknown amount of water they would need to operate in a state with serious drought concerns.