Kat Abughazaleh announces Dem primary bid in Illinois, describing herself as an influencer who has ‘fought fascists’
Former Media Matters video producer Kat Abughazaleh, 26, announced Monday that she is running in the Democratic primary for Illinois’s Ninth Congressional District, with the slogan “What if we didn’t suck?”
“This party has become one where you have to look to the exceptions for real leadership as the majority work from an outdated playbook,” Abughazaleh says in her launch video as she sits in front of a keffiyeh, a Palestinian scarf regularly worn by anti-Semitic protesters.
Abughazaleh’s campaign website features the slogan “what if we didn’t suck,” referring to Democratic leaders; says she will be a voice for “people under like 50, I guess”; and describes her as an influencer who has “fought fascists.” The 26-year-old will likely face longtime Democratic incumbent Jan Schakowsky, 80, who began her 14th term in late January and has said she has no plans to retire.
Media Matters last year laid Abughazaleh off as it faced growing financial strain from a defamation lawsuit filed by Elon Musk’s X. She touts that work on her website, with links to Current Affairs and New Yorker profiles of her, and has since become known for making TikTok videos attacking Republicans.
Abughazaleh’s congressional bid comes as Democrats are underwater in the polls. Recent surveys from CNN and NBC News show that the party’s favorability has plunged to record lows of 29 percent and 27 percent, respectively. Nearly 70 percent of voters in swing districts see congressional Democrats as out of touch, according to a poll conducted earlier this month by the Democratic group Navigator Research.
This article was originally published at freebeacon.com
