Happy Thursday!

🌧️ Today's weather: Showers and thunderstorms, with a high of 84 and a low of 67.

Today's newsletter is 981 words — a 3.5-minute read.

Gov. Josh Shapiro is launching a new six-figure ad blitz targeting Latino voters as Pennsylvania's governor's race shifts into high gear.

Why it matters: Winning over the state's growing Latino electorate could be key to Shapiro's reelection — and a test of his ability to build the broad coalition he'd need for a potential presidential run.

State of play: Roughly 1.3 million Latinos live in Pennsylvania, with many heavily concentrated along what's known as the 222 Corridor, encompassing Allentown, Hazleton, Reading and Lancaster.

• Political observers say that part of the state has seen growth in the Republican vote in recent elections, likely adding urgency to Shapiro's early focus on Latino voters.

The big picture: The race between Shapiro and GOP nominee and state Treasurer Stacy Garrity will heat up in the coming weeks, as political observers say many voters don't start tuning in until after Labor Day.

• The contest so far has been a bit of a sleeper.
• Shapiro has dominated Garrity in fundraising and remained in the spotlight with high-profile appearances, including in Philly rapper Meek Mill's latest music video, while Garrity has turned to President Trump for a boost.

Zoom in: The Spanish-language ad centers on an Allentown woman who says "prices are out of control" and her family feels like it's "impossible to get ahead," despite curtailing spending habits and bargain shopping.

• The woman then credits one of Shapiro's tax credit programs with putting more money back into her family's pocket.
• The ad ran on YouTube — where 43% of Hispanic adults regularly get news, per the Pew Research Center.

Between the lines: Cost of living is a major concern for families and small business owners facing higher prices, including on goods impacted by the Trump administration's tariffs.

What they're saying: Making early inroads with the Latino electorate is imperative for Shapiro in this year's governor's race — and beyond.

• He could be "positioning himself down the line" to return to those same voters in two years to ask for their vote for president, Randall Miller, St. Joe's professor emeritus of history and political commentator, tells Axios.

They'd want to know, "are you doing anything to help us now?" Miller says. "What Shapiro is saying is, 'I understand the problem. I empathize with the problem. I am proposing to do something that's going to help.'"

Reality check: The shifting primary schedule could give Latino voters an earlier say in choosing the Democratic presidential nominee, following the party's decision to move up states with heavy Latino populations, including Nevada and New Mexico.

The bottom line: Before he can test any national coalition in a White House bid, Shapiro must first secure a dominant win over Garrity.

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Women made up just over a quarter of new hires in the U.S. for AI roles last year — compared with half of new hires in non-AI occupations — per new LinkedIn data.

Why it matters: These jobs are some of the fastest-growing and highest-paying in the country right now, and the report shows women are getting left behind.

By the numbers: Men landed 74%, and women 26% of the new hires for AI roles in 2025.

• The highest-paying roles typically have higher percentages of men.
• To get hiring information, the platform looked at user, or member, profiles. For data on compensation it analyzed job listings.

Zoom in: An increasingly popular job is called "member of technical staff," a technical role common in AI labs that often sits at the intersection of advanced research and full-stack engineering.

• 82% of new hires to these roles went to men in 2025. And this year, median listed pay is $223,000.
• The data annotator job, meanwhile, with a median pay of $51,000, is roughly split 50/50 between men and women.

Between the lines: The data confirms what our eyes have been telling us all along. Most of the public faces of the AI buildout have been men.

• "Women may be included in the AI economy, but not in the roles most likely to drive long-term economic mobility, leadership, and decision-making power," Sarah Steinberg, head of global public policy partnerships at LinkedIn, said in an email to Axios.

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⚠️ The National Transportation Safety Board has zeroed in on several possible explanations for last year's deadly plane crash in Northeast Philadelphia.

• They include pilot fatigue, limited experience flying in and out of Philadelphia and a lack of FAA safety checks on the Learjet. (Inquirer)

⚖️ Police say they've identified a potential suspect in the killing of off-duty police officer Alhassane Barry and have been in contact with the person's attorney.

• No charges have been filed. (NBC 10)

🗣️ Quote du Jour:

"I figured it was smart to turn around and face him. I was like, 'OK, well, let's fight.' I put my hands up. I covered my face."

🎙️Lynyrd Skynyrd and Foreigner bring decades of classic rock hits to the Camden waterfront tonight.

3️⃣ It's Third Thursday at the Navy Yard. Stop by from 4-7pm at the new 35,000-square-foot outdoor space for food trucks, live music and artists.

• This week’s lineup: Tex-Mex fare from El Tlaloc, cheesy melts from Moocheeze and pound cake from Poundcake Heaven.

🔍 It's National Treasure weekend. Carpenters' Hall is hosting Heist Night on Thursday and Saturday.

• Tickets: $50

😋 Don't get too cray at Friday's Crayfish Party at the American Swedish Historical Museum.

• Tickets: $70 for adults, $60 for members, $30 children 4-12.

More events

✂️ Isaac has to lock in this weekend to Smart Brevity down his personal statement for law school.

Today's newsletter was edited by Jen Burkett.