Pennsylvania's governor contest is off to the races with its first challenger: state Treasurer Stacy Garrity.

Why it matters: On Monday, the Republican announced her intention to unseat incumbent Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro in what is expected to be Pennsylvania's marquee race in 2026.

Driving the news: Garrity, a two-term treasurer, took several swipes at Shapiro, criticizing him for his rumored presidential ambitions and claiming that he's not prioritizing governing the state in a three-minute campaign announcement video.

• "I am giving you and your family my solemn oath that I will work hard every day to fix the problems Josh Shapiro has created," she said.

Catch up quick: Garrity became the first Republican to hold the treasurer's office in 16 years after her 2020 win.

• She grew up in rural Bradford County and served in the Army, eventually rising to the rank of colonel. She was given the nickname "Angel of the Desert" for her humane approach overseeing an Iraqi prison camp, per NPR.
• Garrity holds the record for most votes earned by a candidate in a Pennsylvania race, notching more than 3.5 million votes last November.
• Her campaign video called her a strong ally of President Trump.

What they're saying: Shippensburg University political science professor Alison Dagnes said Garrity "clearly understands politics" and is a strong candidate for Republicans.

• But Dagnes didn't think Garrity aligning herself so closely with President Trump was wise in swingy Pennsylvania, where gubernatorial candidates need to appeal beyond their respective bases to win.
• Jack Doyle, director of the Democratic-aligned PA Accountability Hub, said Garrity's support of Trump's "big beautiful bill" and its cuts to health care could hurt her.

The other side: On Friday, when Shapiro was asked about Garrity's then-rumored entry, he said, "I'm going to fund our kids' schools. I'm going to make sure that we have more cops on the beat, and I'm going to focus on doing my job bringing Republicans and Democrats together to get stuff done."

State of play: Garrity faces an uphill battle against Shapiro, a popular incumbent with a national profile and a track record as a consensus builder, St. Joe's professor emeritus and political commentator Randall Miller tells Axios.

Between the lines: Other Republicans may also enter the race, including former Republican gubernatorial nominee state Sen. Doug Mastriano, who's known for his extreme views and penchant for conspiracy theories.

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Renting isn't just for young urban dwellers and college kids anymore — more Philly-area seniors are now getting in on the national trend.

Why it matters: It offers greater flexibility than home ownership, and coincides with a larger embrace of micro-living, a trend that's taking off in Philly as people seek a "less is more" lifestyle.

By the numbers: Nationwide, the share of renters 65 or older rose to 13.4% in 2023 from 10.4% in 2013.

• That age group saw the biggest jump of any, 2.4 million more renters over the decade, with many landing in popular Sun Belt metros, researchers found.
• Just two of 75 major U.S. metro areas posted a decline in the share of renters over 65.

Zoom in: Nearly 16% of Philly metro renters were 65 or older in 2023, roughly a 3 percentage-point increase from a decade earlier, per a report by rental listing site Point2Homes.

• Meanwhile, the Philly area saw significant drops in the number of younger and middle-aged people renting. For those aged 18 to 24, it was a nearly 14% decrease. It was a 22% drop for those between 45 and 54.

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🖊️ Merrill Reese, the Eagles' long-time radio announcer, will be back calling games this season on 94.1 WIP.

• Reese, whose contract ended after the Birds won the Super Bowl, penned a multiyear extension earlier this year, David Heim, a spokesperson for WIP's parent company Audacy, tells Axios.

🚧 An $8.5 million safety improvement project on Vine Street, which started yesterday, will reduce lanes in both directions between 8th and Broad Streets, upgrade traffic signals and install bike lanes, per the state Department of Transportation's website.

• Plan for periodic lane closures weekdays from 7am-4pm through Jan. 16 along Vine Street in both directions at the intersection with Broad.

🍻 McGlinchey's bar update: The owner, who is looking to sell the popular Center City dive bar so he can retire, says it won't close permanently until a sale is finalized.

• The owner plans to close the bar on Aug. 29 for a week, then reopen unless a buyer is found by then. (Business Journal 🔒)

Emoji fluency isn't so easy these days.

Why it matters: Roughly 80% of U.S. adults say they've been confused by emoji use, according to a 2024 survey by language education platform Preply.

Catch up quick: The Wall Street Journal called the smiley emoji an "intergenerational minefield" back in 2021 — and it's still making people second-guess their texts and Slack messages.

• We get it. Discussions around the meanings of emojis have been running hot in our newsroom.

Case in point: Some think a soft smiley (🙂) and a thumbs up (👍) come across as passive-aggressive or sarcasm.

• Others think they're positive and pleasant responses.

We want to know: What emoji best captures the Philly spirit?

• Maybe 🔔 for the Liberty Bell, 🥩🧀 for cheesesteak or simply 🤬?

Vote in our poll and let us know!

💭 Mike's thought bubble: I'm waiting for an emoji that better represents hoagie than 🥪.

💭 Isaac's thought bubble: I'm laying down the Jawn-tlet. Philadelphians, come up with a sensible emoji for jawn. Ya'll can't do it. Bet.

Here's a pro tip from our own Phillie Phanatic for staying fresh during summer heat waves: vodka and water, per AP.

Zoom in: Tom Burgoyne, the man behind the Phanatic mask, told the outlet that a spray bottle of the cocktail — not for hydration — is the big thing for mascots.

💦 How it works: Burgoyne mixes half water and half vodka in a squeegee bottle and spray it on his head.

• The mixture helps take the smell away during the dog days of summer.