Happy Thursday! The world around you appears beautiful when the world within you is peaceful.

☀️ Today's weather: High near 77 with the potential for wind gusts up to 20mph.

🎵 Sounds like: "The Man"

🛢️ Situational awareness: Oil prices fell sharply yesterday as traders weighed signs that the midterm election will add pressure on the White House to find an offramp from the Iran conflict.

Today's newsletter is 969 analyzed words — a 3.5-minute read.

With Democrats snatching political power in Texas from the GOP, a raft of issues — from abortion access to THC — will suddenly be in play in the new year.

Why it matters: The extent of the Texas Democratic wave came into sharper focus yesterday.

State of play: Democrats have won control of the Texas House, going from 62 seats in the 150-member chamber to at least 76, the AP projected yesterday afternoon.

• As of January, Democrats will control the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, agriculture commissioner and land commissioner. And when the House convenes in January, members are likely to elect a Democratic speaker as well.
• Democrats also won nine statewide appeals court seats — ousting eight Republican incumbents. A Democrat was leading in the vote counting in a 10th judicial post yesterday afternoon.

Yes, but: The GOP retained its majority in the Texas Senate.

The big picture: An unpopular president and his policies drove votes for Democrats more than any other factor, political scientists tell Axios.

• Texas remains, in spirit, a red state, according to SMU political science professor Cal Jillson, but Democrats will be increasingly competitive in future elections.

The intrigue: Democrats "earned an opportunity to solve some of the problems that voters believe Republicans ignored, and those problems will be very difficult to address," Jillson tells Axios.

• As they try to show they're worthy of voters' continuing trust, he says, they will have to tread carefully to ensure their changes don't seem too dramatic or too expensive for Texans.

What we're watching: How the incoming Texas leaders will approach transgender, abortion and gun rights during their tenure, if at all.

The bottom line: "Now the question is, what do Democrats, some of whom didn't expect to be in office, intend to do with their new authority?" Jillson says.

Several legislative hot topics may be back in play as Democrats take control of Texas politics.

Here is what we're watching...

The election's likely winners

💨 Hemp purveyors and consumers: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was zealous in his opposition to marijuana use. Not so for Lt. Gov.-elect Vikki Goodwin, who said earlier this week with regard to cannabis: "We should legalize and regulate and respect the personal freedom of Texans."

💸 Sports gambling: Ditto betting — Patrick nearly single-handedly quashed efforts to legalize betting that emerged from the Texas House. Goodwin has endorsed putting the matter to a statewide referendum.

🎒 Public schools and teachers: With Gina Hinojosa, a former Austin ISD school board president, occupying the governor's office, expect lawmakers to dedicate more money to public schools. Broader state budget issues notwithstanding, teachers could see a pay bump.

🩺 Women's health advocates: Lawmakers are likely to look for ways to loosen state abortion restrictions.

The election's likely losers

💿 Data centers: Hinojosa made opposition to data centers a central argument in her campaign.

💰 School vouchers: The GOP apparatus that promoted private school vouchers — spearheaded by Gov. Greg Abbott — is out. Look for Democratic lawmakers in the House to argue that voucher money should instead go to public schools.

😳 Conservatives: The Texas GOP is in disarray. The intraparty finger-pointing has already begun, and conservatives will have to figure out their game plan going forward as they try to reassert their Trump-tarnished brand.

Universities, large cities and GOP appointees

✌️ Voters in Rockwall County's Fate removed their mayor and three city council members after infighting in the city government culminated in a recall election. (WFAA)

🥧 Chefs across the region are participating in a pie auction to raise money for emerging professionals in the industry. (CultureMap)

📨 An Oklahoma man is accused of leaving threatening letters with white powder in mailboxes in Dallas, San Antonio and Oklahoma City. (FOX4)

⛪️ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is giving the public a rare opportunity this month to tour its new temple in Burleson. (DMN)

🎬 Lights, camera, action. The 20th Lone Star Film Festival kicked off this week in Fort Worth's Cultural District and runs through Nov. 13 with screenings of more than 90 films including short films, documentaries, and dramas.

• Times and locations vary but most events are at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth or Fort Works Art. General admission ranges from $12-$20.

🎭 Prepared to be amused. American author and humorist David Sedaris visits Dallas to talk about his latest book "The Land and Its People" as part of the Dallas Museum of Art's "Arts and Letters Live" series.

• 7:30-9pm Friday at the Majestic Theatre. Tickets start at $58.

🇯🇵 Embrace Japanese culture. Check out authentic taiko drumming, tea ceremonies, and music at this fall Japanese Festival.

• 9am-5pm Saturday and Sunday at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. General adult admission is $15.

🍷 It's wine o'clock somewhere. That's because the Plano Food and Wine Festival is back with more than 100 wines to sample, culinary demonstrations and local vendors at Legacy West.

• Noon-6pm Saturday at Legacy West in Plano. Wine-only passes cost $54.

This newsletter was edited by Bob Gee.

Our picks:

🍩 Naheed is planning to check out La Rue at the suggestion of a very special Axios Dallas reader.

🎧 Megan is listening to the album "Melodie" by Slow Pulp after seeing them live in Dallas.

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