The Smile: 8/20

Democrats flip a Trump district, missing dog gets reunited with their owner, and more!

August 20, 2026

Hi friend,

Happy Thursday! Democrats just flipped a Pennsylvania state House seat in a district Donald Trump carried by 18 points in 2024. Brandon Dukes’ special-election victory marks the first time in more than 20 years that the district has elected a Democrat to the state House—and expands Democrats’ majority in the chamber to 103-100 for now.

There’s even more encouraging news today: Trump-backed candidates are piling up losses around the country, Abdul El-Sayed leads Republican Mike Rogers by seven points in a new Michigan Senate poll, and a federal court has blocked the Trump administration’s effort to reshape the Teen Pregnancy Prevention program around abstinence-focused requirements.

Let’s dive into the good news! 💛

Today’s user-submitted photo comes from Fawn S., who shared this adorable photo of her cat, Gumbo! If you want the chance to have your photo featured, reply to this email 😄

Thank you for reading, and we hope these articles shine a light on your day.

In solidarity,

Emily from The Smile

P.S. Know someone who could use a dose of good news? Forward this email and encourage them to subscribe to The Smile. Let’s spread the positivity together. 🌟

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