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Today’s newsletter is 1,092 words — a 4-minute read.

Gov. Josh Shapiro is running like he's behind, even though polls show he's up by wide margins.

Why it matters: Shapiro wants to run up the score and aim for a rare Democratic trifecta in the state legislature. A big win could boost his national profile for a possible presidential run, according to political experts who spoke to Axios.

Context: A Quinnipiac Poll from early October shows 59% of likely Pennsylvania voters support Shapiro, compared with 34% for Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity.

• Shapiro has raised about 10 times as much as Garrity, per the most recent campaign filings, and he is dominating the advertising space, outpacing her 43-1.

Catch up quick: Even with a huge lead, Shapiro is running as hard as ever.

• He's openly campaigning for a trifecta, he told supporters at a rally in Philadelphia last month.
• He has donated $5.6 million to downballot Democratic races since the summer.
• He is crisscrossing the state to support his state legislature and congressional candidates.

What they're saying: "He is leveraging his strength much more directly than I have seen before to downballot candidates," said J.J. Abbott, a former staffer for former Gov. Tom Wolf and now a Democratic strategist working on several campaigns in Pennsylvania.

Zoom in: Shapiro has said he will increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour, codify abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, and pass an affordable housing plan if Dems get a trifecta.

• Shapiro often says the Republicans in the state Senate are blocking his efforts and bills from the Democratic-controlled state House.

Zoom out: Abbott says these efforts are about rebuilding the Democratic brand in a state where it sank to new lows after the 2024 election.

• "Shapiro is making the argument, 'You trust me and like me, if you get rid of the people stopping me, I will do the things.'"

Between the lines: This also helps to build up Shapiro as a presidential contender, Alison Dagnes, a political science professor at Shippensburg University, tells Axios.

• A massive victory for Shapiro in the nation's biggest swing state could impress political pundits, who could then start raising his profile with a national electorate that still doesn't know him well, says Dagnes.
• "If you are seen as a winner and the framing is you are a winner, that does give you an advantage on the national stage."

The other side: Garrity has repeatedly alleged that Shapiro cares more about running for president than about working for Pennsylvanians.

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Mayor Cherelle Parker says Philly remains a "Wawa city."

Why it matters: Parker is doubling down on the city's commitment to the convenience store giant amid revelations that Wawa privately raised concerns about her decision to rebrand this year's Fourth of July concert and fireworks show.

Driving the news: Wawa "never left" and will "continue to be a part" of the Welcome America Festival, Parker said during Tuesday's Axios Live event.

• She wouldn't commit to whether Welcome America, the nonprofit that has overseen the festival for years, would regain control of the Fourth of July concert and fireworks show next year after the administration brought in an outside company for the nation's 250th anniversary.

What they're saying: "Who the team looks like that will produce our Welcome America celebration for 2027, you'll have to wait to see," Parker told Axios after the event.

The other side: Wawa hasn't responded to Axios' requests for comment.

Catch up quick: As of May, Wawa was among the corporate backers that hadn't renewed its sponsorship of the 2027 festival, according to internal correspondence obtained by Axios.

• Emails obtained by Axios showed tensions between Wawa officials, including the company's CEO, and the Parker administration over its takeover of the show, which was rebranded with the mayor's "One Philly" political slogan.
• A government watchdog group called for an investigation into whether the city violated procurement rules by hiring politically connected ESM Productions through a preexisting agreement to handle this year's show without seeking competitive bids.
• City taxpayers footed $15.5 million for the concert — more than double the cost of Welcome America's 2024 festivities.

What we're watching: Whether Wawa seeks concessions from the Parker administration over who produces next year's show as a condition of remaining title sponsor.

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Philly now has a rat czar. Officially known as the rat abatement manager, the new post is tasked with ridding Philly of the rodents, per a city news release.

• Meanwhile, animal rights group PETA is calling on city leaders to use birth control to manage rats rather than poisoning them. (KYW)

💰 Villanova University has received a $25 million gift from an alumnus, the university announced yesterday.

🛞 Aren't you tired of this? Philly police arrested two people suspected of using a U-Haul to dump hundreds of tires in a North Philly train station parking lot.

• The pair may also be connected to another illegal dumping incident. (6ABC)

A prescription for birdwatching? Doctor's orders to do some gardening?

• It might not be as far-fetched as it sounds.

The big picture: A new study co-authored by a University of Colorado Boulder researcher suggests spending time in nature can fight loneliness — even if you go it alone.

Why it matters: With 1 in 6 people worldwide experiencing loneliness, researchers are looking for remedies that go beyond traditional medical care.

The study, published this month in The Lancet Regional Health, found:

• Loneliness scores dropped an average of 10.5% after three months and nearly 17% after a year across both groups.
• Group outings were especially effective for participants who started out lonelier or with poorer emotional well-being.

What they're saying: Nature's sights, sounds and smells can help people relax and connect with others, professor Jill Litt, who co-authored the study, told CU Boulder Today.

Go deeper

The Pennsylvania midterms are Tuesday and we want to know how voters are feeling.

Why it matters: The state's divided government could end while a handful of congressional races in the Commonwealth could help determine the control of Congress.

🗳️ Take our poll and let us know.

⚖️ Isaac is pumped to have been accepted into Rutgers Law School for fall 2027. White Knight, Dark Knight, Scarlet Knight. Isaac is 5.

🦷 Mike is bummed he got a hard recommendation to remove his two remaining wisdom teeth.

Today's newsletter was edited by Jen Burkett.