Turnout for last month's primary was the highest in decades in Pennsylvania and only reinforced the commonwealth's growing urban-suburban-rural divides, The Inquirer reports in a deep dive on the data.

Both major parties saw sharp jumps in participation, but the number of Republican votes cast exceeded Democratic votes for the first time in a midterm year this century, the outlet adds.

Here are a few additional takeaways:

• Long-running urban-suburban-rural divides are increasingly happening within the parties in Pennsylvania, not just between them
• Rural GOP voters were more likely than non-rural GOP voters to back far-right candidates, like Doug Mastriano and Kathy Barnette
• Republicans who voted for Trump-backed or Trump-aligned candidates were the least likely in the state to vote by mail  
• Democrats were far more likely to vote by mail than Republicans
• Counties with more Mastriano support tended to have lower Mehmet Oz support; one expert says that could help the GOP in November
• Philadelphia is turning out fewer statewide Democratic primary votes than it used to, but gains continue in collar counties

THE CONTEXT: Primary turnout usually doesn't predict much about general election outcomes, especially in a closed-primary state like ours.

But The Inquirer's analysis shows a trend of heightened midterm enthusiasm that started after Donald Trump's 2016 win continues today.

Democrats still outnumber Republicans by about 550,000 registered voters statewide, but Republicans have taken the edge in registrations.

While primary turnout doesn't predict general election turnout, The Inquirer says it does show "how and where the parties are growing."

General election polling released on Wednesday has Democrat Josh Shapiro with a three-point lead over Mastriano in the governor's race, while Democrat John Fetterman has a six-point lead over Oz for U.S. Senate.

Axios reports the Trump-endorsed Oz is quietly removing mentions of the former president from his social media feeds, website, and ads as he heads into one of the most hotly contested Senate midterms in the country. 

E-SCOOTERS: The state Senate on Wednesday passed a bill that would expand e-scooter programs to more than 50 cities statewide, including Allentown, Harrisburg, and Erie, building on a pilot program that was launched in Pittsburgh last year. The bill now heads to the House.

TAX BREAK: President Joe Biden wants a three-month federal gas tax holiday, which would save drivers nationwide about 18 cents a gallon. On Wednesday, a gas station in Lower Burrell slashed its prices to $2.38 a gallon (the state average is $5) for 45 jam-packed minutes, per TribLIVE.

RELOCATED: An event focused on Pennsylvania's founding as "an explicitly Christian state" has a new venue after a backlash over the speakers' Christian nationalist beliefs, LNP reports. The event is now set to take place at a flooring store in Quarryville today, as the speakers double down.

FRESH ROLLS: Philly's beloved Federal Donuts has dropped Martin's potato rolls over the company's ties to gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano. The new source of bread for its signature fried chicken sandwich? The Baltimore-born Schmidt Baking Company, Billy Penn reports.

SPACE JAM: Five planets are aligning in the night sky this week. The best time for viewing will be 5 a.m. tomorrow (weather permitting) when the moon joins in. The moon will appear positioned between Venus and Mars in the southeast. It's the first such planetary parade in 18 years.