My name is Kat Abughazaleh. I’m a 26-year-old extremism researcher running for Congress because I think there’s a new way we can do politics. Ask me anything!

31 comments

1. First thank you for taking the time to come anwser questions!

   Looking around your website, it says that you’re not going to do “wasteful” TV ads or “spammy” fund raising emails. While I agree that both of those can be incredibly annoying, I have to also think that they work, because why else would so many people do them.

   What are you doing in place of Email and TV? Are you concerned that you’re going to miss out on reaching some voters by bucking these two methods of campaigning?

2. Why are you running in Illinois when you have no ties to the region and were raised by Texas republicans? Why should anyone believe you actually care about the people of Illinois and that you’re not just challenging what you view as an easy, aging seat?

3. (copying my comment from the first thread)

   How did you get started in your run for Congress?

   There’s plenty of disillusioned and frustrated 20-somethings on Reddit alone, many of which I can imagine have thought about running for Congress (myself included, sans the 20 something part) – but have no idea how you actually start.

   I think as one of the youngest people now running for Office it would be a huge boon to your campaign if you had an army of the gen-z/millennial candidates. Knowing how to and where to start a run for office who could do more than just volunteer to support another candidate.

4. Why wont you address the questions about your connections to the district? How is moving to a new state just to run for Congress not just as cynical as the actions of the people you criticize? There are plenty of talented, progressive 26 year olds in the district, why not use your platform to support them and encourage them to get involved?

5. I see you describe yourself as an extremism researcher, but most descriptions of you I’ve seen describe you as a “social media influencer”. I’ve listened to a bit of your views as it relates to candidacy, so my questions may not be great. First, why do you think someone with your social media background is beneficial to running for and, more importantly, being in Congress?

   Secondly, as a younger, relative luddite (mid 30s, but I work in tech) I find just the mention of “social media influencer” repellant. How do you plan to embrace that history and convince folks like me it’s not a negative but helps inform your experiences?

   I have questions about your views, but I think getting clear on your background would be more helpful for your future potential constituents.

6. Why did you choose to run in the IL-9 rather than a district you have more experience with?

7. The 9th District stretches from Cook all the way to a chunk of McHenry County. I live in McHenry County, in the 9th District and feel like we are treated as an afterthought most of the time. I recognize the bulk of the population is out east, but McHenry can definitely turn blue if someone cared enough to try.

   So my question is how would you expand constituent services to McHenry County or at the least make us feel like part of the 9th?

8. A few questions

   1. Would you support banning members of congress from trading individual stocks & support legislation that moved this to law?

   2. How did you start your campaign, were there any resources available to you, and what would you say to others considering following in your footsteps in order to be successful?

   3. Every member of Congress promises change, but few have the strength of character to work against established party norms. What steps will you take to reform the Democratic party against seniority-by-age based norms?

9. Actual IL-9 resident here: How can you claim to prioritize and center community when you have parachuted into a community you don’t live in asking for our trust for an important public office? Trust is EARNED, what have you done to earn the trust of the people of this district.

10. Why did you choose to run in Jan’s district instead of the district your currently living in?

11. So you say you have a “new way” of doing politics…but then don’t clarify what you mean. You say you’re tired of democrats not doing anything to stop trump, but don’t say what you will do. So, what is this “new way,” what do you plan to do to stop trump, and how does this differ from what other democrats are already doing? 

12. Also, your current living situation (in the district, one bus stop away, near the district, in Chicago, in Andersonville) is very murky, so can you set the record straight about where you actually live and why you think this district should trust you with our votes when simply finding out the most basic information about you is so difficult?

13. If a progressive challenger who actually lives in the district emerges, will you withdraw? If not, why is it that you think you are better qualified to represent a district you have little to no connection to?

14. How can I push back against people saying “fake news” every time I bring up facts?

15. IL-9 resident here. Why did you advertise that your AMA was starting at 10 AM and then start it at 10 AM Eastern instead of 10 AM Central when your district is in the central time zone?

16. A social media influencer with less followers than my art insta from Texas who was a republican her whole life raised by Texan conservatives……

    If you are sincere then great but I smell a grift if I am honest, we need young progressives but not ones who are thirsting over fame and attention over actual change. Sinema mk2 from my gut feeling.

    Prove me wrong and get elected and make some change.

17. What exactly and specifically do you think a minority democratic party should do and you would do in Congress? Is there any specific action their than caused you to run or just some general distaste? If there is nothing specific what makes you better than someone else?

    Beyond that why Illinois Nine?

    Do you have any comments about Schakowsky?

    Lastly do you think there is a connection between video creation and legislation or consistency service?

18. Hi, Kat. You’ve been doing a great job so far on speaking for many of the people that are extremely frustrated, especially now, with a Democratic party that is overall slow, old, and ineffective. People are looking for a group that can react quickly to the current administration, limit the damage it’s doing, and offer some hope of being able to repair that damage in a reasonable timeframe. Many others, not seeing such a group materialize, are losing hope and exploring options to either leave the country or survive whatever’s yet to come.

    Do you have any suggestions for building a coalition of progressives that can effectively counter the current administration, without having their hands tied by the Democratic party? What could an average person do now that would make a difference?

19. Hi Kat! Couple questions for you, would love if you could take the time to address them.

    One, given that the primary role of Congress is to draft, pass, and amend legislation, how do you plan to effectively fulfill those responsibilities without any prior government or legal experience, especially considering the complexity of the legislative process and the legal frameworks involved?

    Second, as a Jewish person who has witnessed the rise in antisemitic incidents in the Chicago area, I’m deeply concerned about community safety. What is your plan to protect the Jewish population within the district—especially considering the historical trauma of events like the Nazi march in Skokie and the presence of the Illinois Holocaust Museum, which stands as a powerful reminder of the consequences of hatred and intolerance?

20. On your website you mention a lot of policies that generally, sound good, but mention no way of funding them. How do you plan to fund a monthly stipend of 3,000 dollars for stay at home parents, way more than people get for Social Security?

21. There needs to be radical change and party shifts to protect the working class.

    I think that the only way forward is to remove money from politics. I also think that every candidate should have to fist fight for their right to campaign, and that gladiator style battles should be fought to enter items into congress.

    Please confirm if you would or wouldn’t support political opponents fist fighting for their right to campaigns and enter bills.

22. Hi Kat, love the energy and tone of your campaign. We absolutely need to continue the passing down of political power and expertise to younger generations to keep the system healthy and functioning for all Americans.

    Illinoisans are very familiar with the political system not working for us; Chicago is literally famous for having windbags for politicians. What drove you to move across the country and plant your flag here? And why aim for the highest legislating body in the country when our local politics is suffering from the same problems you care about nationally?

    I want to believe that you moved here and fell in love with Chicago like I did, and you want to make it a better place, just like I do. But it’s difficult to ignore the nagging feeling that you’re using our city as a stepping stone to a political career.

23. How did you know you had to run?

24. It seems like ‘influencer’ is being used as a slur against you by people who don’t know how long you spent covering Fox News. Plans on getting your CV reflected more accurately?

    Also, can you pet Heater for me?

25. I have no questions. Just wanted to say you’re awesome!!! Keep doing what you’re doing!!!!

26. Have you talked to any local elected leaders or in progressive groups about your campaign? We have a lot of great political talent in this district.

27. Hi Kat! I donated when you declared and am currently in downtown Chicago and definitely interested in helping the campaign, since I don’t believe Schakowsky is meeting the moment (and on principle would like to see an actual primary challenger to someone who’s fielded no serious opponents since first winning the seat in ‘98). I already got a couple of your digital ads served to me, so I can see you’ve hit the ground running. But I do have a few questions about your campaign as I determine if my cash and time is better spent there/down in my district of residence (IL-7) or back in my homestate of AZ.

    1: What do you see as your path to victory? Evanston and Chicago-proper make up less than half of IL-9, even less of a chunk once you exclude Edison Park and West Ridge (whom I would wager likely would go strongly-Schakowsky). [This](https://imgur.com/Qo8iWKy) is a map of the 2024 Dem. primary for Cook County State’s Attorney, with IL-9 (shoddily) outlined in green. The less-progressive candidate (roughly speaking) – O’Neill Burke – carried northern suburban Cook easily, and even kept things close with Clayton Harris in certain city wards (outright winning West Ridge’s Ward 50). The race obviously wasn’t run in the Lake or McHenry County portions of the seat, but I doubt those voters would have gone for Harris. Since your run is likely going to be contingent on generating at least some support in the suburbs, how do you planning on winning over voters who opted not to back the progressive-aligned candidate in an open race now that you have to deal with Schakowsky’s (presumed-but-not-guaranteed) incumbency advantage on top of it?

    2: I find it commendable you’re eschewing text and phone fundraising spam – something I have Hot Takes about both as someone who owns a phone/has an email inbox and as someone who has worked on campaigns in the past. And I find the community aid events your campaign puts on a great unique way to get your name out locally (though granted I don’t know if news of it will travel the full length of the district ). But the no TV ads thing – is that under the assumption it simply won’t fit an insurgent campaign’s budget, or do you genuinely want to pass on them for good even if you had millions in the bank?

    I get it, the Chicago media market is pricey, you’d need to hire some sort of stodgy outside firm or another, and without additional money spent on sub-targeting you’d be advertising to everyone from Kenosha to Gary. But it’s an important medium – [not the only factor, but a big lost opportunity for some](https://x.com/AOC/status/1324778791961612288) who cede the airwaves to their opponent. Yes, AOC won in 2018 without a TV buy. She was facing an incumbent who sat on his hands until late in the game and no longer matched the demographics of the district like he did in 1998 when he first ran. Judging from how Danny Davis has acted when facing competitive primary threats, Schakowsky likely won’t be as complacent as Crowley. There’s a reason why Courage to Change now cuts ads for aligned candidates, as does AOC’s direct campaign in recent primary elections. Failing to get on TV early helped sink Bush and Bowman last year. It’s one of the reasons why Omar is constantly in tough primaries. And it helped put Bush over the line against Lacy Clay in 2020 after she (IIRC) didn’t go on the air in 2018.

    3: Will you still be in the race if Schakowsky decides to not run again?

    4: Why’d you move to Chicago? I assume post-MMFA you had a lot of places to choose from, why’d this city stand out?

    My regards to Heater.

28. Do you support moving our voting system away from First-past-the-post to something more like Ranked-choice?

29. Hi Kat, not an Illinois resident, but as an American am affected by every politician in Washington so I also have a stake here.

    While many of our nation’s current problems are the making of one party, our housing crisis is a completely bipartisan failure. I’ve noticed you’ve said nothing about affordable housing and bringing the price of purchasing a home down at a time when millennials and Gen Z are losing a shot at being able to do so.

    If elected, what are concrete, tangible steps you can take with states and localities to bring down the cost of housing. Minneapolis, MN and Austin, TX are both flagship examples of doing this, how can we bring their successes nationwide?

30. Hi Kat, concerned citizen and very pro law enforcement (even as a democrat)

    crime in the area and around Chicago has significantly worsened, and while our police officers and state’s attorneys are doing their best under difficult circumstances, there’s a growing anti-law enforcement sentiment within some parts of the far-left community. What is your response to that, and how do you plan to support public safety while also working constructively with law enforcement to ensure effective and fair policing in our district?

31. I live in a swing district in Wisconsin currently held by a Republican congressman. How can we get a young progressive like yourself to run for office? I’d run myself, but I’m not in a position to do so.

    Best of luck, Kat – your neighbors from the north are rooting for you!

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