Election Day is Nov. 5. Control of the White House and Congress is at stake.

Why it matters: State legislative seats are also on the ballot — but those chambers are extremely likely to remain under Republican control.

• And U.S. House races are expected to be lopsided, with districts drawn to favor one party.

The big picture: The most watched race in Texas will be between Dallas Democratic Congressman Colin Allred and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, the Republican former Texas solicitor general first elected to the Senate in 2012.

• Cruz and Allred have agreed to a televised debate on Oct. 15 in Dallas.

Allred, a fundraising juggernaut and civil rights attorney, has tried to make the election a referendum on Cruz's anti-abortion rights positions, and he's criticized Cruz's visit to Cancún, Mexico, in 2021 during the deadly Texas winter storm.

• Allred recently picked up the endorsement of Republican former Rep. Liz Cheney.

Cruz, meanwhile, has tried to energize Texas Republican voters, warning them against complacency amid a newly invigorated Democratic Party.

• Despite a record of voting against major pieces of bipartisan legislation — the CHIPS Act and the Ukraine-Israel aid package — Cruz has presented himself on the campaign trail as a dealmaker. It's part of an effort to augment his conservative, rural base with suburban swing voters, per the Wall Street Journal.

The intrigue: Texas hasn't elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994, but Cruz only narrowly won re-election against Beto O'Rourke in 2018.

What's next: You can register to vote through Oct. 7.

• Update your information with the secretary of state's office if needed.

Three North Texas congressional seats will see new faces this election.

State of play: Longtime U.S. Reps. Kay Granger (R-Fort Worth) and Michael Burgess (R-Lewisville) opted not to seek re-election, despite their likely shots at winning another term.

• Allred will also be replaced due to his Senate bid.

32nd Congressional District: Democrat Julie Johnson faces Republican Darrell Day in the bid to replace Allred.

• The district is considered safe for Democrats, making it likely that Johnson, a state legislator from Farmers Branch, could be the first openly LGBTQ+ member of Congress from a Southern state.
• Day, a business owner and former Arlington City Council member, won the Republican primary runoff against former Dallas City Council member David Blewett.

26th Congressional District: Republican Brandon Gill easily won the March primary for the seat that is predicted to stay in the GOP after Burgess' retirement.

• Gill is the son-in-law of Dinesh D'Souza, a 2020 election denier who produced the movie "2,000 Mules."
• Navy veteran Ernest Lineberger III was unopposed in the Democratic primary for the seat.

12th Congressional District: Republican state Rep. Craig Goldman won the May runoff against business owner John O'Shea, backed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

• Goldman was supported by Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan.
• Democrat Trey Hunt is an underdog in the race for the historically Republican seat. Hunt describes himself as a progressive Texan.

🍻 Hold my beer. Legacy Hall is celebrating Oktoberfest with beer specials, a stein-holding contest, and live polka and German music.

• Noon-10pm Saturday at Legacy Hall's Lexus Box Garden. General admission is free.

🇩🇪 Don your lederhosen. Enjoy beer, brats and Bavarian pretzels at the McKinney Oktoberfest. There will also be games and a carnival.

• 5-11pm Friday, 11am-11pm Saturday, and noon-5pm Sunday in downtown McKinney. Free.

🤠 Grab your Stetson. Watch a tamale-eating championship, line dance and watch City Council members sit in a dunk tank for charity at this year's Western Days Festival. Chris Young performs Saturday night.

• Friday and Saturday in Old Town Lewisville. Free admission before 6pm.

🍪 Laugh with Elmo. Take the little ones to sing and dance with Elmo and his friends at Sesame Street Live.

• 2pm Saturday at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen. Tickets start at $47.50.

🚒 Ten first responders were hospitalized yesterday while battling a large chemical fire at a pool supply warehouse in Frisco. (FOX4)

📚 Fort Worth ISD's superintendent resigned amid criticism over the district's $17.7 million deficit, unchanged student outcomes and overburdened teachers. (Fort Worth Report)

🇮🇪 The owner of Dallas' Old Monk pub plans to open two new bars in Oak Cliff. (DMN)

💬 Quote du jour

"That's very fair ... I accept that completely. I don't know how you could look at it otherwise."

If this mild weather has motivated you to decorate for Halloween, be prepared for some hate.

Why it matters: We asked Axios Dallas readers to share when they think it's appropriate to decorate for Halloween — the responses confirmed the contentiousness of the topic.

What you're saying: Carol W. plans to put up Halloween decor by the end of the month, to get ahead of her travels next month.

• "Please! Not before Oct. 1!" Carol H. says. She says our question hit a nerve because a neighbor uses a 12-foot dragon as Halloween and Christmas decor, keeping it up through January.
• "Many HOAs deny you the pleasure of decorating sooner than a couple weeks before the holiday," Leslie N. says. If allowed, Leslie would put up decorations two months before Halloween and change them up every couple of weeks.

The bottom line: Do whatever makes your heart happy, but, please, spare us the hideous inflatables at all times of the year.