I saw her political videos on TikTok. She would give explanations about the content that was aired on Fox N*** over the last little bit of time, coverage that you might have missed, and how things are being portrayed to its viewers. Her segments were very well done and very useful.
What elections are in March?
Primary elections for this congressional District seat and others will be held in March 2026.
My God we need to shorten campaign timelines.
She’s born in the same year as I am. That’s great!
That right there is a beautiful woman
Shit no kidding inside and out
This is HORRIBLE! We NEED to Make Sure this Person FEEDING THE POOR LOSES!
-Chuck Schumer and the DNC!
Never heard of her before but she sounds cool as hell. Wishing her all the success!!
She’s a plant coming in from out of district with suspicious funding. She doesn’t deserve success
I wonder how much democrats spend on oppo research and messaging against progressives.
Dude. Are you fucking kidding me. She literally does astroturfing. And you’re accusing me of being one?
I’m always suspicious when people like you are up and down a thread talking shit about someone who seems to be genuinely trying to help.
Astroturfing would not leave as many comments as I am under one account. It would use a variety. You can easily search my username and see I have a very long history of using it, that should be sufficient proof to show I’m not an astroturfing person
So you say, yet here you are, up and down the thread talking shit about someone who seems to be genuinely trying to help.
If she genuinely wanted to help, I don’t believe the district in question was a good target. She basically chose a well held district with an uncorrupt representative and said “I’m going for this one” instead of a more corrupt or issue politician
I knew who it was before I even read her name. I hope she wins and does good things.
Her parents are rich Republicans. She’s unemployed. She’s coming in from outside the district she’s trying to run for, despite living in a contestable district. She doesn’t even live here yet and she’s trying to run. She’s incredibly suspicious even at surface value.
So I’m not from the USA and have heard the argument that she’s suspicious because she’s out of district a couple of times. So why is that bad? (I have no clue about american politics so I hope the question isn’t dumb)
Usa politicians are meant to represent their districts, and be in tune with their issues. Others often fail at that, but our current one is extremely active replying to calls and fixing issues. As such, having one that isn’t from the district brings to question if they will be able to continue the actual connection, and draws question on if they’ll actually understand our district’s issues and goals.
That said, our current one is old af and does need a replacement. I just don’t want it to be from out of district.
Ok, that’s understandable! Thanks for the explanation.
Its not, they are making bad faith arguments because they dont like progressive politics where your views and policies actually help people. They want to continue with fascist politics
It is. Usa politicians are meant as representatives of their districts, never living there brings question to that.
I’m active in politics and extremely progressive. I just don’t want someone with blatantly suspicious origins to be my congressperson.
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I’ve never heard of it, but a quick glance shows it was around before I got involved.
Also, it seems to be completely irrelevant. There is no front runner at this time, the race hasn’t even started yet and there is no incumbent.
I’m simply mad that an out of district candidate is trying to plant themselves into my district without so much as pretending to be in the district beforehand. She isn’t trying to really connect with the community, she’s just leveraging her influencer vibes to gather support with no proven record.
Influencers becoming politicians is rarely something that works out.
If she had made an effort to move here, put in routes and actually get involved with the community instead of just saying shit online, my opinion on her would be different.
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You obviously have the time. Look at your involvement in this thread.
I’m on vacation fight now, man. Flat out, I cannot run for the position. 25 years of age is the minimum requirement.
All of your complaints are covered in her many many materials
No. My primary complaint about her being out of district is covered by no serious answer.
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Kat’s great, but her opposition to traditional Democratic politics is going to tank her campaign. The Democrats only want old, rich
conservativescentrists.It is nice to see at least one Democrat who’s doing some real good, though.
I like to think the tides are slowly, but gradually, turning as more people realize how useless the democrats have been. I hope there will be more candidates like Kat showing up everywhere soon
There’s a part of me that wants to be optimistic, but this is America.
I like to think the tides are slowly, but gradually, turning as more people realize how useless the democrats have been.
Yeah, I noticed it as well ever since Chuck Schumer rubber stamped the Republican budget bill-- which would disenfranchise millions of Americans from Medicare cuts-- without offering much resistance. Even some of the die-hard centrist Democrats here in Lemmy seem to sobering up as well. But hopefully my observation isn’t just contained in social media and my information circle, but the also throughout the US.
An out of district plant is not great
Kat Abu is amazing and just the kind of grass roots candidate we need everywhere.
If by grassroots you mean suspiciously funded by 80% out of district and living off her rich republican parents money to do it
Do you think her tiktok audience is all local? Because that’s what’s happening lol
I think her tiktok audience doesn’t understand the actual issues at hand.
Irrelevant.
You’re implying she’s corrupt because her funding comes from outside her district.
I am pointing out that her funding comes from her Tiktok audience - who come from outside her district.
Are you willfully approaching this conversation in bad faith?
who come from outside her district.
She’s from outside her own district. That’s the primary thing that shows her blatantly questionable goals. She lives in a challengeable district with a dem who should be taken out. And she chose to campaign in an entirely different one.
Yes, she’s very likely corrupt. She’s unemployed, runs a sketchy campaign with astroturfing and refuses to address in any AMAs why she’s moving to our district later and why she’s going straight for the highest seat in a district that isn’t hers.
Wow, thanks for making me look more into this.
So:
- She’s campaigning in a district where she will replace an 80 year old retiring progressive
- She has an extremely consistent track record of progressive advocacy
- Since when does temporary unemployment imply corruption?
- Her campaign seems almost entirely social media and local charity work.
- She has 200,000 followers which seems to have grown over time with several prominent videos.
- Her funding is tiny compared to the average $2.8 million spent by winners of House races.
- Not here to reduce a woman to her husband, just pointing out a cool fact and rock-solid evidence that she’s probably legit - she’s MARRIED TO THE CEO OF THE COMPANY THAT OWNS THE ONION?! The source of the Pultizer-worthy headline, " ’ No Way to Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens"?
- With regard to #7 - there’s no evidence she “lives off her republican parents” - nor would that be an indication of corruption.
She lives in Chicago, is campaigning in Chicago, and has *specifically answered this question, spoiler to limit the wall of text
Abughazaleh currently doesn’t live in the 9th District. Though in-district residency isn’t required of congressional representatives, Abughazaleh said she and her partner are “imminently moving to the district” in Chicago’s Far North Side, explaining that they moved to the area last year on “very short notice” and had to take the first viable apartment they could. When the RoundTable asked why she’s running for the seat currently held by incumbent Rep. Jan Schakowsky in particular, Abughazaleh said her campaign “isn’t a referendum on Schakowsky” but does see the district as an especially good fit for her aim of disrupting the Democratic Party’s status quo.
“I was already gonna move to this district in the first place, and it’s also historically one of the most progressive, on the cutting edge, influential districts in the country,” Abughazaleh said. “I can’t think of a better place for a campaign like this one to be received.”
By the way, anyone in the back: did you watch the goal posts move? Did you watch us move right along, without any defense for the first claims? Do you notice how no matter how many times OP is objectively incorrect or uninformed, they just double down?
- Since when does temporary unemployment imply corruption?
It makes me question where she’s funding her lifestyle.
- Her campaign seems almost entirely social media and local charity work.
That’s bad. Real world efforts are necessary. Giving campaign funds to charity is sketchy at best when you’re showing it off to pretend you’re morally superior
She’s campaigning in a district where she will replace an 80 year old retiring progressive
Irrelevant as the 80 year is retiring anyways.
She has 200,000 followers which seems to have grown over time with several prominent videos.
So? Genuinely hilarious how irrelevant this point is.
- Not here to reduce a woman to her husband, just pointing out a cool fact and rock-solid evidence that she’s probably legit - she’s MARRIED TO THE CEO OF THE COMPANY THAT OWNS THE ONION?! The source of the Pultizer-worthy headline, " ’ No Way to Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens"?
I had not heard this. However, it will not change my viewpoint that she’s as this post demonstrates running an extremely questionable and too early campaign, as well as being an out of district plant by not even trying to have lived a real period of time in the district she’s planning to run in.
She lives in Chicago, is campaigning in Chicago
The vast majority of the district is out of Chicago. Also, she’s not campaigning in Chicago. She’s campaigning online.
By the way, anyone in the back: did you watch the goal posts move? Did you watch us move right along, without defending the first claims?
Any one of the points is enough to make her not worth voting for. Her being out of district alone is ridiculous. If she genuinely cared, she should be running for a district she actually lived in. You are blatantly ignoring how much an issue an out of district congressperson is. Pretending it doesn’t matter just because you like the vibes of the candidate. And it really is just that and nothing more, just vibes. She has zero lower experience in politics, no record, no evidence of capability.
Especially when she’s consistently astroturfing reddits, it makes me question where her actual in district relations are. If she even has any.
You don’t have kids do you?
You seem to be literally the only one who is saying this …
… If you had some type of proof we’d be willing to see it
Here’s proof. Basically entirely outside funding.
It’s interesting how no one else is saying easily findable information.
Minor Internet Influencer uses minor internet influence to raise funds for campaign.
No mention of her parents was made in the article linked.
, yes, I didn’t make the claim that her parents donated to the campaign
Why are you upvoted
because they’re not pissing all over someone doing some fucking good for a change.
Christ, you’re acting like joe rogan or pewdiepie or mrbeast or hawk tua girl are running.
Hope I’m wrong, but I don’t trust anyone who wants this kind of power.
At least it’s a better platform than “Everything is that other groups fault, let’s hate on them and be angry!” that s eems a bit too common.
Yeah you’re not wrong and it’s not like I have any suggestions or solutions either.
There is no way to change power without taking it.
Although I agree with you, we will not get out of the hole we’re in if we don’t support people like this to overtake the ones that are legitimately hungry for power.
On the flipside, there’s always the possibility she’s doing this as a stunt and doesn’t mean any of it. Plenty of Gen-Z pretend to feed homeless people on TikTok, could just be a glorified version of that.
She’s got a beach cleanup going on this weekend. From what I’ve heard, she’s been at every event she’s hosted and she’s actually out there getting dirty. I’m not in her district but it’s not far from me. I might go just to see how it all works.
Definitely not normal, excellent. I wish I was closer to IL, I kinda want to see for myself as well.
My to do list is a mile long so idk if I’m gonna be able to go but I wanna!
She just started a discord server to organize volunteer work. Katforillinois.com I guess. Haven’t checked it out myself but just saw it.
I do genuinely hope I’m wrong, but even at a very basic level here - she’s using funds people donated to her campaign for a purpose other than campaigning,.did she make this clear to people before they donated? If it is just being done for campaign clout then it’s kinda disingenuous by definition. I do hate that I’m this cynical fwiw.
It’s all good, I’m in a similar cynical boat. By default I don’t trust anyone that’s in the spotlight by choice.
However, if shitty people start doing things like this just for clout, well it’s better than the Nazis that are taking things over right now I guess that don’t even try to pretend to be a good person.
Yes, she’s been very upfront about it. She makes it clear at her fundraising events that the proceeds are going to charitable organizations. Her campaign has been soliciting canned goods and menstrual hygiene products, instead of cash, in exchange for yard signs and stickers.
I get your cynicism, it’s a well-known adage that anyone who seeks power doesn’t deserve it. But for as long as we have elected federal representatives, I’d prefer to elect representatives who actually make tangible efforts to take care of people. Even if you see it as self-serving, to me it’s refreshing to see a candidate appeal to voters’ compassion instead of appealing to their fears and prejudices.
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Anyone trying to overhaul a corrupt system would know that infiltrating it is a highly effective opposition tactic. You’re not speaking for progress, you’re speaking for contrarianism.
Edit - besides, she’s using political donations to feed people. Corrupt systems absolutely have uses for honest individuals, because your potential allies in poverty are starving to death and she is feeding them.
I always imagined that if I won an office and lobbyists were throwing donations at me, I would spend all of it plus $1 on charities they despised
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This isn’t infiltrating the vague concept of capitalism, it’s infiltrating congress. She’s not trying to climb some corporate ladder here.
What, exactly, has been more effective in the US? Capitalism still isn’t defeated, as far as I can tell.
What the fuck do you want her to do, stop? Go home?
If you want heroes, if you want martyrs, if you want real people with real power and real megaphones, you need to work with the tools you have available. Whatever else you’re doing hasn’t worked any better than what she’s doing. Unions are still operating under the umbrella of capitalism - they sign deals with capitalists all the time. Do you think we should stop unionizing?
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and yes, it has worked in the US to give workers better wages, and famously the right for workers to have a weekend and the 8hour-maximum workday. entrism on the other hand never did much of anything.
… HAH. No… just, no. That’s not what centrism is, and that’s NOT the story of how we got the 8 hour workday.
We have (or in some cases had) the 8 hour workday, OSHA, social security, legally protected unions, etc as a result of the New Deal.
What was the New Deal?
Well, an extremely progressive “centrist” (your words, not mine) - Frankin Delano Roosevelt - ran for President, and won. He took over the Presidency in the depths of the Great Depression, and Democrats attained majority in both chambers of congress.
They gained complete political power largely because Republican policies had sent the United States into an economic nosedive. They also gained unprecedented political capital for progressive policies by grassroots support in response to the horrifying economic conditions all across the United States.
Sound familiar?
He - alongside Congress - passed a whole bunch of legislation, created a whole bunch of federal agencies, and forced through massive leaps forward in labor protections and social welfare programs.
That’s why you have the 8 hour workday.
Read a book.
Been on your side up to this point.
All those things about the new deal you pointed out are true in the abstract. Within context, all the most progressive wins of the new deal were compromises based on “saving capitalism from itself” under the pressure of activist and labor movements (much more radical and empowered than what we know) and the spectre of revolution.
It was activists and popular pressure (largely driven by communist and anarchist organizers) that advocated for these wins.
The powers that were didn’t do these things out of the kindness of their hearts. But it’s been too our benifit that fdr was willing to be won over in this way. Consider how he engaged with A Philip Randolph (who would later go on to be lead organizer for the March on Washington for jobs and justice) for further proof on his ability to be swayed.
Remember, the Bolshevic revolution happened not long ago at this point and was an ideological threat to capitalism. And the Spanish revolution had just happened and presented an even deeper ideological threat.
Tldr: there were popular movements domestically and external pressures abroad that made the concessions of the new deal necessary.
And again, generally agreed with you in this thread but your point here risks misrepresentation of the history of people power and agitation and how crucial it’s been to the few good things we know in this country.
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Kat Abughazaleh is her name.
You can tell she’s to the left of the incumbent because her name doesn’t appear in the headline.
The incumbent is retiring. There will be no incumbent.
How do you pronounce it??
Also worth noting she’s running for congress in Illinios
Specifically, IL-9, against the incumbent democrat, whose name is “Kat Abughazaleh’s opponent.”
She’s not running against the incumbent, no. Jan is retiring after this cycle. She’ll be running against a fresh slate
I think she’s amazing and wish her nothing but luck.
I know that if she is spending money this way, she’s doing it on the up-and-up with only the right intentions.
But I can’t get over thinking that political campaigns doing charity work starts to resemble “a chicken in every pot” vote-buying. I would love it if someone who knows campaign finance law better than me could comment on the legality of it.
tbf, her campaign used funds to fill a food pantry in her district. in-turn, signs were donated for her campaign.
this kind of “tit-for-tat” happens a lot in politics but generally aren’t so public about it because
- it seems like illicit activity
- it usually involves illicit activity
both of which are untrue in this instance. I’m sure the signs were worth more than the food her campaign donated, but the important part is that if you did donate to her campaign at least you know it helped the district out even if her run ends without a win.
Vote buying is legal now. Elon did it the last two elections.
But also, that’s not what she is doing. She is using campaign funds to have dinners (legal) and then asking attendees to bring items to donate and then giving those items to other needy people. None of that would be illegal even if we were still a country of laws.
She’s doing a beach clean up tomorrow. She’s invited everyone out to volunteer and ask her questions. It’s a little far from me and I’m but in her district but, still considering attending just to see what’s up.
Her videos and work at media matters are excellent as well.
Could Kat fix the backward ass US healthcare system and labor laws?
Are Gen Z the chosen ones? I hope so.
