Kat for Illinois

Kat Abughazaleh is running for Congress in Illinois' Ninth District because Democrats need to do more to stop Trump and fight for working people.

Kat for Congress | Kat Abughazaleh for Illinois' Ninth District

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<h3>Fighting for Our Community</h3>These are some of the top issues our campaign is focused on. Learn more about our issues <a href="/issues" target="" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">here</a>.

My Campaign’s Top Issues

Donald Trump, tech billionaires, and the Republican Party have banded together to rapidly and illegally break this country, all at the expense of our most vulnerable. Their vision is fascist, one of a militarized country where only certain people – a few dozen rich men – have a seat at the table. We will not and cannot let them win.Historical antifascist movements all prove the same thing: The only way to properly fight fascism is loudly, proudly, and every single day. And that principle must be upheld by those in public office. This means actually fighting, not just writing letters or wearing matching outfits, like many Democrats did at Trump's recent address to Congress.I refuse to stand by as Trump and Elon Musk attack my constituents. As your Congresswoman, I will take my experience fighting the far-right to Capitol Hill and beyond. I will not vote for authoritarian bills in the name of "compromise," I will not abandon or demonize vulnerable groups to cater to the right, and I will not change my stances for fear of retaliation.Instead, I'll continue to speak out against authoritarians. I will take the fight to them, whether it's the House floor or whichever government offices Elon Musk's minions decide to camp in. And I will do everything in my power to make sure constituents know they are not alone. Whether it's regular updates online or in-person town halls, I promise you will not be left out in the cold.

Donald Trump, tech billionaires, and the Republican Party are trying to erase our democracy and replace it with something much more sinister: a techno-oligarchy where only the richest have a say.

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Anti Authoritarianism

The United States is the richest country in the world and yet most Americans can't even afford a $1,000 emergency expense. We have the most billionaires of any country but also the most medical bankruptcies. And while prices have increased by about 50% in the last 15 years, the federal minimum wage has stayed stagnant at a mere $7.25.This is nonsense. We deserve better.You should be able to comfortably afford housing, groceries, and healthcare each month with plenty of money left over. There's no reason you should have to take an Uber to the hospital to avoid an ambulance bill while Elon Musk hides away in his own personal compound. Our existence isn't merely a means of profit for the richest people in society. These ideas shouldn't be controversial and are at the very core of my campaign. We're often told that it's a lot more complicated than you think, but it doesn't have to be.We need more people in Congress who see basic existence as a black-or-white issue. Taxing billionaires and corporations is not some woke crusade against merit. It's simply making them pay their fair share like the rest of us do. It's time to ditch indecision and greed so we can demand what the working class deserves: a life lived in pursuit of happiness, rather than constant fear of poverty.We can fund crucial government programs and subsidize nonprofits through government grants by implementing a modest 2% wealth tax on Americans with net worths over $100 million. We can raise the minimum wage to $25 per hour with increases adjusted for inflation. We can guarantee paid family and medical leave, universal childcare, and so much more. Existence is a right, not a privilege and we can't let anyone tell us otherwise.

There is no reason you shouldn't be able to afford housing, groceries, and healthcare with some money left over. In fact, that should be the bare minimum.

Basic Existence

The climate crisis is an existential threat and the Trump administration's subservience to Big Oil will only accelerate the planet's warming. We need urgent action which is why I endorse the Green New Deal, including the creation of a Civilian Climate Corps to create millions of good-paying jobs that will ensure a speedy and sustainable transition to renewable energy across the board.Despite what the right may have told you, the Green New Deal is not some woke scam to ban beef farming or take away your old Corvette. It's a plan for revitalization, not just for the climate but for our economy, our country and our planet as a whole: clean water, clean air, clean energy, more green space, and millions of jobs, just to name a few of the benefits.But climate action isn't just about planning for a better future because, unfortunately, our world is being hit with unprecedented disasters right now. That's why we must bolster federal disaster aid including increased funding for FEMA. Any cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association by Trump must be reversed, and more research into climate, weather, and environmental science should be funded by the federal government.Climate change is also a racial and economic justice issue. Too often, the people at the frontlines of this emerging crisis are part of impoverished or marginalized communities. This isn't an abstraction or some woke nonsense: think of the Dakota Access Pipeline plowing through sacred Native American land or "Cancer Alley" in Louisiana disproportionately affecting poor and Black people. A proactive response to the climate crisis requires addressing these disparities head-on and taking lessons learned by these communities to a national and global scale.

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Climate Change

We should all agree Congress is broken. Our current system functions too much on greed, rewards stagnation, and disincentivizes change. That's why we need a serious overhaul of our electoral system. Conversations about democratic reforms like multi-member districts and ranked-choice voting are crucial to restoring trust in our government.First and foremost, we must overturn the Supreme Court's egregious Citizens United ruling which has allowed virtually unlimited sums of money to flow into American elections. Money is not speech — period.I fully support a national conversation about implementing term limits for Members of Congress and I pledge to serve no more than five terms in the House of Representatives if I'm elected.The federal judiciary is also deeply broken. Supreme Court Justices are partying with billionaires and openly taking bribes as they rule in ways that hurt millions of Americans. We need a binding code of ethics for the Supreme Court and all federal judges and we need Congress to rigorously enforce it. To depoliticize the Supreme Court, we must also require a two-thirds Senate majority to confirm Justices, expand the Court to 15 seats, and implement 18-year term limits for Supreme Court Justices with appointments spread out evenly and fairly between presidential terms.Elected officials serve their constituents, not the other way around. Likewise, voters should choose their Representatives, not the other way around. Gerrymandering is one of the key reasons why many Americans feel that their vote doesn't count — and they're often right! In deep blue or red districts, an individual's vote often doesn't have the same effect as it would elsewhere. I support federal action to mandate nonpartisan redistricting commissions to draw congressional districts fairly and logically.Over the past decade-and-a-half the Supreme Court has gutted the Voting Rights Act piece-by-piece. Despite sometimes offering voting rights advocates minor concessions, like the creation of <a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/2023/09/court-denies-alabamas-request-to-use-voting-map-with-only-one-majority-black-district/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a majority-Black district</a> in Alabama, the Court has eaten away at core principles of our democracy. Congress must take action, by passing <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/freedom-vote-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">the Freedom to Vote Act</a> and by depoliticizing the Court itself.

Democratic Reform

Education is the best way to empower a generation, which is exactly why Donald Trump and his cronies want to control it. From shuttering the Department of Education to attacking universities to prioritizing charter schools over public institutions, the right's crusade against learning is intentionally cruel and meant to curb dissent. That's why the protection and expansion of public education is one of my top priorities. My plan for reinvigorating American education has four main prongs:<ul><li>Public Dollars for Public Schools: Tax dollars should be reserved for public education. Conservatives like to tout "school choice" over public schools, but ignore the myriad problems associated with taxpayer-funded charter schools like their propensity for fraud and mismanagement, history of discrimination, and diversion of tax dollars from the public school system. If we want to improve our education system, we need to actually invest in it, not siphon tax dollars from the schools that already exist in our communities.</li><li>Universal Pre-K: Studies show preschool attendance greatly improves academic and personal outcomes for children, from better math and literacy skills to a higher likelihood of graduating high school and college. Every child deserves that type of investment in their future, regardless of their family's financial future. By establishing universal pre-K nationwide, we can ensure a better future for the next generation and give parents one less thing to worry about.</li><li>Teachers Deserve More: Teachers are criminally under-appreciated and, even worse, underpaid. We need a federal minimum yearly salary of $60,000 for every public school teacher. But it's not just their paychecks. The right has been using teachers and schools as a culture war cudgel for years. From violent school board meetings to doxing teachers to bomb threats called into schools, teachers deserve more legal protections as they try to educate our children. Violence and threats against school employees should carry a higher penalty than our current federal laws dictate.</li><li>Affordable and Accessible Education: This one is pretty simple. We should cancel all student debt, make college and trade school free for all (or, at the very least, affordable!), and adequately fund public colleges and universities.</li><li>University Protections: It's not just our K-12 schools that are under fire: Trump is holding universities hostage, both the institutions at large and their individual students. He's not only withholding funds from universities for not adhering to his MAGA agenda but attacking individuals as well, siccing ICE on campuses and arresting students like <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/petition/release-mahmoud-khalil/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mahmoud Khalil</a> for exercising their right to free speech. Universities are the nexus for innovation, social movements, and diversity of thought. If we do not ensure their very ability to function and if we fail to defend students' most basic rights, we risk losing entire generations of changemakers, entrepreneurs, and innovators.</li></ul>

Education

It’s time we fight for real family values, not the fake "family values" that the far-right uses as a smokescreen for homophobia and misogyny. We need compassionate and comprehensive support for all. Every family and individual deserves to thrive, which is why we must 1) implement a substantial child tax credit, 2) guarantee at least a year of paid parental leave, and 3) provide a monthly income and Social Security credits to stay-at-home parents.One of the biggest legislative successes of this century was reducing child poverty by almost 50% with the passage of an expanded child tax credit, which Congress (including several Democrats) then let expire, plunging millions of kids into poverty. We must bring back the expanded child tax credit but that alone isn't enough. No person, especially a child, should live in poverty and the federal government must take as many steps as possible to lift people out of poverty and guarantee our basic needs.Raising children is a form of labor and deserves to be compensated as such. I support federal implementation of programs to provide stay-at-home parents with a monthly stipend of at least $3,000, adjusted based on the number of parents and children in the household. Additionally, under my plan parents receiving these stipends would be able to use this income toward acquiring Social Security credits, a key step to guaranteeing a financially secure retirement.In 2025, having and raising a child in America is a radical and courageous act. We can, and should, make it easier for Americans to create the family they want.

Kids &amp; Families

Our children and communities deserve to exist without fear of gun violence. As a member of the "school shooting generation," I know too well the anxieties caused by active shooter drills, lockdowns, and the very real threat of gun violence in the classroom.That’s why we must implement a federal assault weapons ban modeled after Illinois' assault weapons ban, enact comprehensive universal background checks, require waiting periods, institute mandatory gun safety training, close gun show and ghost gun loopholes, and prioritize victims of gun violence above all else.We must reject dangerous right-wing "solutions" to this problem, like arming teachers or building prison-like schools in the name of security. We must address the root of the problem, which is guns themselves.

Gun Violence

Every American deserves healthcare regardless of whether they have a job. That’s why we need a universal single-payer healthcare system — with an opt-out if you’re a private insurance super-fan… for some reason.Basically what this means is that your tax dollars would be used for your healthcare. Despite conservative talking points, both you and your employer are paying far more, in terms of both premiums and deductibles, than people in countries with universal healthcare, and the outcomes are somehow worse! That's why I’m going to offer actual solutions to the problems we’re facing:<ul><li>Universal Healthcare: A system where your tax dollars pay for the healthcare that you want and need. No more deductibles, no more “that’s not covered under your plan,” no more “out of network providers,” and no more insurance agents trying to get you the least possible care for the most possible money. Just you and your doctor in the room. Nowhere in the world do these systems cost more than what you’re paying now for your deductibles, copays, and the cost of leaving important health issues unattended, so it won’t cost more in the United States either. With single-payer, you can expect a significantly smaller percentage of your income to go to your healthcare, with better outcomes, and more care.</li><li>All-Inclusive: That means dental, because your teeth are not luxury bones. Eye care, because you shouldn’t have to stretch those disposable one-day contacts over three days. Preventative and mental healthcare will also be included because they involve your health. Your yearly check-up, comprehensive health screenings, blood tests — all of it. You need a smart healthcare system that gathers the data it needs to help you stay healthy and live a long life, not a healthcare system run by AI agents that don’t understand context, or their billionaire investors. Those guys aren’t your doctors or healthcare providers.</li><li>Drug Price Negotiation: Drug companies have extorted us for too long. They’ve raked in profits hand over fist, and while we all need access to the drugs that keep us healthy and alive, we shouldn’t be questioning whether to pay for our prescriptions or our other essential living costs.</li><li>Rural Support: Rural America has long been impacted by a lack of access to both healthcare providers and pharmacies. This means a lot more preventable illnesses and preventable deaths. That's why I will introduce legislation to establish training programs that will pay medical school tuition for doctors who will work in underserved areas, as well as fund assistance programs to keep hospitals in those areas open so they can focus on what really matters: helping patients.</li><li>Innovation: While Trump and his Republican Party defund essential research at the National Institute of Health, deregulate the pharmaceutical industry, and let the supplements industry take over healthcare, I would rather propose real solutions: let’s help people connect to new trials if they need access to new treatments, especially for life-threatening illnesses. If there’s a chance we can save lives and improve the future of healthcare for all Americans, then you can be sure that we will.</li></ul>

Healthcare

For decades, American foreign policy has recklessly resulted in mass death and displacement, dehumanization, and seemingly endless wars. We cannot allow taxpayer funds to go to war crimes, whether those crimes are committed by American soldiers, contractors, or our allies. Countries and militaries that receive financial assistance and weapons from the United States must abide by that simple principle if they want our to continue receiving American aid. Otherwise, Congress and the State Department must work to ensure that, as per the Leahy Act, allies are investigated for their conduct and military aid is rescinded.My commitment to overcoming authoritarianism doesn't stop at American borders. The rise of right-wing leaders with authoritarian aspirations is not simply an American phenomenon. Global peace means not bowing down to authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin or Viktor Orbán, as Donald Trump and his cronies have done.Trump and Elon Musk's dismantling of critical USAID programs and other foreign assistance threaten millions and must be immediately restored. Trump's funding cuts to one HIV prevention program alone have already caused <a href="https://pepfar.impactcounter.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">an estimated 28,000 deaths and counting</a> and undermine American global leadership on human rights and basic morality.I believe in holding our allies accountable, even when it's inconvenient. For too long, the United States has let allies like Israel and Saudi Arabia commit egregious acts with American taxpayer-funded weapons. I am a proud Palestinian-American, but people of all backgrounds and ethnicities should be disturbed by our government's complicity in Israel's 58-year-long illegal occupation of the West Bank and the ongoing attacks on Gaza, which have killed tens of thousands of civilians, including infants and children. My foreign policy centers people, not the governments or groups claiming to represent them. I wholeheartedly support the immediate release of all hostages held in Gaza and a permanent ceasefire that sets the stage for peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.We must also strengthen our relationships with allies closer to home, reaffirming our friendly relations with our closest neighbors. Donald Trump's threats to annex or invade Canada are completely unacceptable and threaten the rules-based order that American diplomats and elected leaders should be promoting. Likewise, buying Greenland or annexing the Panama Canal must be completely off the table.

Humane Foreign Policy

The United States has always been a country of immigrants: I'm the daughter of one. I vehemently oppose Donald Trump's insistence on vilifying immigrants and criminalizing their very existence. Immigration is not just about the economy, it's about basic human rights and dignity. All people deserve to be able to come to a country where they are free from persecution and strife and we must create a country that reflects that ideal.I want to be as clear as humanly possible: NO mass deportations, NO internment camps for immigrants, and NO backtracking on the best part of the American Experiment.I support an immediate pathway to citizenship for DREAMers and other undocumented immigrants while also making legal immigration more accessible and convenient. Visa wait times and border quotas are in direct contrast with the American Dream that we were promised — and which we promised the rest of the world.We often hear immigration phrased as a "migrant crisis" when in fact most people coming to the United States from abroad are not simply itinerant "migrants" but in fact refugees fleeing poverty, persecution, and political turmoil in their home countries. As your Congresswoman, I will introduce legislation to remove all caps on refugee resettlement in the United States and welcome in as many refugees as possible, as well as increase funding to support the communities they're in.

Immigration

The LGBTQ+ community has historically been forced to be canaries in the proto-fascist coal mine and this time is no different. That's why even though Republicans are trying their best to villainize queer (particularly trans) people, we're not going to fall for it. Some Democrats might be happy to throw trans people under the bus for an interview with Steve Bannon, but I'm not. I refuse to meet this GOP smear campaign with anything except unflinching solidarity with the queer community. So here's what we should actually be doing:<ul><li>Ensure legal protections for the queer community. This means passing the Equality Act, amending the Civil Rights Act to include gender and sexual orientation, and creating federal legislation that specifically protects gender affirming care for all trans Americans because individual states should not be able to ban life-saving medical care.</li><li>Protect the transgender community. The right is coming after trans people for a reason — because they are usually the easiest targets for a fledgling fascist regime to throw under the bus. I can't stress this enough: This has happened before — in early Nazi Germany. That's why we must take extra steps to stand in solidarity with the trans community and help them when times get tough. You're not going to hear me fall for right-wing propaganda about trans kids and bemoan how woke pronouns are (or whatever bullshit they're pushing that week). That's because trans people are people, but also because I talk to trans individuals in the community almost every single day. As your Congresswoman, I will always value the lived experience of constituents over whatever hate campaign Fox News is presently spewing. Oh, and we're obviously going to reverse all of Trump's horrendous transphobic executive orders.</li><li>More medical support and research. The LGBTQ+ community is critically underserved in the medical field. That's why we need to restore and increase any federal funding into LGBTQ+ health that Trump cut. Oh, and let's make PrEP easily available, affordable, and known to all Americans, gay and straight.</li></ul>

LGBTQ+ Protections

Social Security is the backbone of this nation and yet Donald Trump is trying to destroy it. Like everything Trump does, this is a con, one that will ruin the lives of the nearly 69 million Americans who rely on Social Security. Almost a fifth of our country depends on Social Security (which they paid into) to survive. Any cuts, much less full dismantlement, are unacceptable. That's why Democrats need to do everything in their power to protect Social Security, through all legislative avenues and public pressure. It's not enough to express disapproval. We need Democratic leaders to call for a general strike if Social Security is cut — and I will be the first to do so.But Social Security doesn't just need protection, it needs expansion. That's why, as your Congresswoman, I will introduce legislation that extends Social Security's solvency for the next 100 years, increase its payouts, and ensure it is updated for the cost of living, annually. Additionally, stay-at-home parents deserve the same payout as their partner, regardless of marital status. Raising kids is a form of labor and stay-at-home parents should earn stipends and Social Security credits.Social Security affects all of us: retired Americans, caregivers, anyone who plans to live past 61, or anyone who knows anyone on Social Security (we all do!). It's time to treat this crucial program with the importance it deserves.

Social Security is the backbone of this nation and yet Donald Trump is trying to destroy it. Like everything Trump does, this is a con, one that will ruin the lives of nearly 69 million Americans.

Social Security

This is pretty easy for me: Abortion access is essential to healthcare, plain and simple. That's why — and I'm sure Sean Hannity will clutch his pearls at this — I refuse to endorse any term restrictions.Third trimester abortions are exceedingly rare and reserved for the most severe possible pregnancy complications. Even with exception carve-outs, the only thing these restrictions do is force dying patients and doctors to jump through legal hoops to get and provide basic medical care. Additionally, these restrictions often carry hefty penalties for doctors and nurses, which make them less likely to treat pregnancy complications, as we've seen in states with abortion bans. It's also essential that we protect our right to birth control and the morning-after pill through as many legal avenues as possible.Finally, the United States has an unprecedented maternal mortality rate compared to our peers, and it’s even higher in poor, Black, and brown communities. That’s why we must reinvest exponentially in maternal health research and care as well as reinstate any research grants and medical funding cut by the Trump administration.

Reproductive Rights

Republican presidents like George Bush and Donald Trump have wanted to send young Americans abroad to risk their lives in wars we shouldn't be involved in in the first place only to welcome them home with minimal support. Now Trump and his administration have turned minimal support to no support, slashing veterans' benefits, including healthcare. Veterans deserve better.It should not be controversial to say that when our soldiers come home they should receive exemplary benefits and healthcare. That's why Congress needs to not only restore any Trump cuts to the VA but also expand them, particularly when it comes to healthcare and assisted living.Veterans also make up one of the largest demographics in our federal workforce which means Trump and Musk's ridiculous DOGE cuts have disproportionately (and illegally!) put veterans out of a job. These positions need to be reinstated now, with any missed pay or benefits paid back in full.

Veterans

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<h3>I'm running a new type of Democratic campaign...</h3>If you're a right-wing billionaire or a member of the Democratic consultant class, this campaign isn't for you. But if you're one of the many Americans struggling to afford your basic needs while deeply worried about the looming threat of fascism, I am fighting for you.

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<h2>I'm 26, I don't have health insurance, and I'm running for Congress.</h2><img src="https://run.imgix.net/97ab35dd-c361-4276-8e58-fcb6c9619dc5/f489bf76-aaa4-4435-b96d-e31132a8264d/f489bf76-aaa4-4435-b96d-e31132a8264d.png?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C7751%2C6621&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="47.5" variant="base">We have a representation problem. As in, about half of Congress are millionaires and people born before the Moon landing. And that's part of the reason we're in this mess: Our leaders are out of touch.We deserve Representatives who face the same challenges we do (or at least have some time in the last decade). They don't deal with out-of-pocket prescription costs or nightmarish rent hikes or existential fear about their lives in 50 years. You and I do.I'm a renter. I don't have health insurance. My net worth is pretty much just the laptop I bought with my entire severance when I got laid off... and my adorable cat Heater. I spend my spare time knitting, playing video games with friends, and reading sci-fi.We (people under like 50, I guess) haven't had the chance to build wealth like previous generations, but that doesn't make our lives worth any less. That's why we need representation that actually knows the realities of today's economic and social landscapes, because we deserve new solutions fit for 2025 and beyond rather than the same ones our lawmakers have pushed since 2005.

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Our district deserves a fighter in Congress — someone who shows her constituents every day that she is doing everything possible to stop the authoritarian takeover of the United States.I've fought fascists before as a citizen, union rep, and independent journalist. Now, I'm going to do the same in Congress.

I've made some enemies in my day — just by advocating for free speech and democracy. But I wear these feuds like a badge of honor. Here are just a few of the right-wing trolls who have made it clear that they really don't like me:

ANTI-ENDORSEMENTS

CEO of X and Shadow President

ELON MUSK

AKA "LIBS OF TIKTOK"

CHAYA RAICHIK

FORMER FOX NEWS HOST

TUCKER CARLSON

So much is happening right now. Write a couple lines to get your readers excited for it.

LATEST CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENTS

EVANSTON, IL — On Tuesday, congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh announced a whopping fundraising haul of $200,000 on her first day on the campaign trail. Kat’s campaign raised $203,157.50 from almost 5,000 donations with an average donation of just $42.“This impressive first-day fundraising is the result of thousands of grassroots supporters, not contributions from corporate PACs, lobbyists or special interests,” said campaign manager Sam Weinberg. “Even more impressively, this amount was raised without call time, the practice of cold-calling wealthy donors and asking for money. We couldn’t be prouder to have the backing of so many grassroots supporters in the Ninth District and across the country.”

Kat Abughazaleh announced a whopping fundraising haul of $200,000 on her first day on the campaign trail.

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KAT ABUGHAZALEH RAISES $200K IN FIRST DAY OF CAMPAIGN

EVANSTON, IL — On Monday, Kat Abughazaleh announced her candidacy to represent Illinois’ Ninth Congressional District for the U.S. House of Representatives and within seven hours of her announcement raised over $100,000 with an average contribution of just $45. “This campaign is powered by grassroots supporters who understand the stakes of this historical moment,” Kat said. “People understand that the Democratic Party needs to get its shit together. I’m honored that so many people have faith in my campaign and know that their donation will be spent in the most effective way possible while also tangibly helping our Ninth District community even before Election Day.”###

Within seven hours of announcing her campaign, Kat Abughazaleh raised over $100,000

KAT ABUGHAZALEH RAISES $100K IN FIRST SEVEN HOURS OF CAMPAIGN

The journalist, influencer, and advocate announced her community-first campaign in IL-09EVANSTON, IL — On Monday, Kat Abughazaleh announced her candidacy to represent Illinois’ Ninth Congressional District for the U.S. House of Representatives, vowing to do everything in her power to run the most accessible and transparent campaign in American history. In an exclusive Bluesky post, Kat&nbsp; shared a video calling for Democratic leaders “to grow a f*cking spine” and promoting “a vision that is bigger than what we have been told is possible.”Kat has devoted her career to fighting right-wing extremism, majoring in Security Policy in college and monitoring Fox News’ primetime lineup for Media Matters (MMFA) from 2020 to 2024, a progressive watchdog organization. While at MMFA, Kat began creating explainer videos about Fox News and general right-wing misinformation and propaganda.&nbsp; Since then, her smart&nbsp; but comedic communication style has earned her the respect and following of hundreds of thousands across multiple platforms. Her work has been covered by many publications including Buzzfeed News and The New Yorker. Last year, she was one of The New Republic’s <a href="https://newrepublic.com/article/180462/25-political-influencers-watch-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">25 Political Influencers to Watch</a>, covered the DNC as a <a href="https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/what-the-dnc-looked-like-from-inside" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">credentialed creator</a>, and was also subpoenaed and deposed by Elon Musk’s army of corporate lawyers last year in his lawsuit against her former employer Media Matters, the same lawsuit which led to her and eleven other coworkers being laid off. “As Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate buckle under Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s authoritarian dismantling of our government, I am bringing my experience identifying and defeating right-wing extremism to the campaign trail,” Kat Abughazaleh said. “This campaign is about building power for people, not about giving handouts to greedy corporations and useless consultants. Where current Democratic leaders are failing to even put up the slightest opposition to attacks on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, USAID, and other essential government services, I am ready to fight&nbsp; to defend the interests of this district&nbsp; and the country as a whole.”Kat has mastered the art of triggering powerful conservative figures while also deradicalizing average social media users with her informative and clear informative videos.&nbsp;Kat is running to represent Illinois Ninth Congressional District because she, like many others, have grown tired of the failures and excuses of the Democratic leadership and refuses to believe that Americans have to settle for the status quo. If elected, Kat will be both the second Palestinian-American woman elected to Congress and the youngest woman ever elected to Congress in American history."Kat is the most exciting candidate out of thousands this election cycle for three simple reasons: authenticity, honesty, and vision,” said campaign manager Sam Weinberg. “Kat is running a radically new type of campaign, one which prioritizes constituent needs and transparency above all else. She will be providing constituents in our District and followers across the country with behind-the-scenes access to the process of running for office, which too often is convoluted or outright inaccessible. Our campaign will be sending zero histrionic or misleading fundraising emails, which we view as a stain on the Democratic Party and progressive politics. Instead of, say, hosting six-figure fundraisers that benefit no one but wealthy donors and Democratic Party insiders, Kat’s campaign events will serve direct community needs and uplift the missions of local community organizations, while allowing the community a chance to get to know Kat and what she stands for. Kat is eager to meet any and all residents of the District where they are, whether that is in-person or online. This is a campaign that practices what it preaches: Unlike many campaigns, we will pay staff competitive wages, compensate interns, offer sustainable hours, and encourage unionization. We will show that a winning campaign can also be one that is transparent, honest, and ethical.”Kat’s full policy platform can be found at <a href="http://katforillinois.com/issues" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">katforillinois.com/issues</a> and her launch video is available on her YouTube channel. Photos of the candidate are available for media use upon request by emailing <a href="mailto:press@katforillinois.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">press@katforillinois.com</a>.###

The journalist, influencer, and advocate announced her community-first campaign in Illinois' Ninth District

KAT ABUGHAZALEH ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN FOR CONGRESS

An insightful image

I'm running for Congress because the same old shit isn't working — and it won't work to defeat Trump and Musk's agenda.

I'm 26, I don't have health insurance, and I'm running for Congress.

60 YEARS OF REPRESENTATION

Ninth District Timeline

I'm running for Congress because the same old shit isn't working — and it won't work to defeat Trump and Musk's agenda.