diary keeper and influencer Kat Abughazaleh announced she ’s running for Congress in a YouTube video . In a video recording that looked more like a livestream than an announcement of a bid for situation , Abughazaleh promised to lead a transparent hunting expedition , press for low-cost groceries , and stand up to authoritarian .
Abughazaleh is running in Illinois ’ 9th district , which covers the north side of Chicago and some of its suburbs . She ’ll essay to unseat popular incumbent and company stalwart Jan Schakowsky , who is 81 and has held her seat since 1999 .
“ I say it ’s time to drop the excuses and grow a crashing spine , ” Abughazaleh say in her proclamation video . “ We involve a vision that ’s crowing than what we ’ve been told is possible . There is dead no reasonableness you should n’t be able to afford housing , market , and health care with some money leftover . Families should have innocent childcare . Social security should be expound , and our inalienable right should n’t be dependent on who ’s in power . That means standing up to authoritarians , not wither away when the fight bring forth problematic . ”
The thumbnail from the YouTube video where journalist and influencer Kat Abughazaleh announced her Congressional bid.© YouTube screengrab.
It ’s obvious the picture was made for a young interview by a person who grow up using societal medium . It ’s got the esthetic of a streamer : complete with blow mic weapon , clear and focused eminent timber camera , broil in subtitles , and competent editing that aid Abughazaleh emphasise her points .
Abughazaleh has been make videos online for years . She ferment for Media Matters where she critique and dissect right wing medium and talk points . She ’s alsoproduced videosfor Mother Jones .
In 2023 , Media Matterspublished an investigationrevealing how advertisers on X often had message appear next to Nazi propaganda . Advertisers fled the chopine . Musk sued the company for defamation in Texas and the case is still on-going . The companionship then position off faculty , including Abughazaleh , saying itcouldn’t payits effectual broadside and its workers at the same time .
In her Congressional announcement , Abughazaleh said she get laid how to struggle people like Musk . “ Just a few months ago , Elon Musk ’s attorney deposed me here in Chicago to require about my mean tweets , ” she said . In the months after leaving Media Matters , she ’s produced videos independently on YouTube and TikTok where she has 217 thousand following .
I summarized Elon Musk ’s takeover of our government activity in 70 seconds : pic.twitter.com / XMpCmZ7smD
— Kat Abughazaleh ( @abughazalehkat)February 17 , 2025
When Chuck Schumer bowed to Congressional Republicans in the budget fight , he call it strategy . ingredient read it as failing . As Musk and Trump rampage through the Union government and assault social security , elector are looking for anyone willing to oppose . The Democrats , peculiarly the old line , seem to be lay down . Even amidst a backlash against Trump , the party has see squinch poll parrot bit andincreased unfavorabilityratings .
“ What if we did n’t soak up ? ” Abughazaleh said in the video recording announcing her run . “ We all deserve advantageously . We deserve human rightfield and financial freedom and a party that stand up to authoritarian . ”
Schakowsky hasher own YouTube channelwhere she post clips of her utter on the floor of Congress , medium hits , and lineal - to - tv camera addresses to component part . AMarch 13 videoabout her architectural plan for the futurity is a outstanding contrast to Abughazaleh ’s promulgation . The colour balance is off and the firing is bad , the Capitol looms in the screen background , and the editing appears to cover misapprehension instead avail Schakowsky emphasize her talking points . She also bragged that Rachel Maddow had mentioned her on telly .
“ I was at Daley Plaza to protect skill , ” Schakowsky said in the video recording . “ Rachel Maddow also mentioned that I had been there . I ’m belong to continue to just to show up and I would receive you to join me . We have to be seeable . We have to be loud . We have to be quick to fight . ”
This is n’t the first time someone has assay to expend societal medium stardom to set in motion a political career . After years of battling toxic gamers online , secret plan developer Brianna Wu ran for Congress in 2018 and 2020 . She drop off both times . In 2022 , accredit physician and podcast emcee Sydnee McElroy successfully won the Democratic primary quill for a Congressional seat in West Virginia but lost the race against a Republican incumbent .
The difference here is that Wu and McElroy had other careers and used societal media followings in an attempt to strike political business leader . Abughazaleh is a digital native who has spend years post and fight the tintinnabulation annexe online , and often winning . She ’s hump primarily for her political cognitive content . Time will secern if that can understand into electoral victory .
On March 6 , The New York Times report that lawgiver arescared of Trumpand the online regular army he commands . “ Every disinfo reporter/ researcher I jazz ( including myself ) has been the target of hateful tweet or even sound action at law by Elon Musk , ” Abughazaleh say in apost on BlueSkyresponding to the story .
“ honestly , this is a acquirement yield . ”
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