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Axios
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Gen Z candidates in Illinois' 9th District say it's about more than age
Democratic U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky's decision to retire from the 9th District at the end of this year at age 81 has paved the path for a crowded field of Gen Z and millennial candidates. Why it matters: Candidate age is becoming an increasingly important issue for American voters, Axios' April Rubin reported, with 67% of adults in a February YouGov poll saying they believed maximum age limits should be imposed on elected officials. The big picture: Progressives are celebrating New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's win in last month's Democratic primary as a harbinger of young electeds, arguing those candidates are in tune with today's most pressing issues, like health insurance, high rents and inflation. Yes, but: Some established Democrats, such as New Yorkers Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Chuck Schumer, declined to endorse Mamdani. His rise represents the push for progressives to break the current party mold, and more established players moving closer to center. By the numbers: More than half of the newly elected House members in 2024 were in their 30s and 40s, according to Pew. Gen Xers, born between 1965 and 1980, were the most represented generation in the House, but boomers still dominated in the Senate. 74 millennials and one Gen Z-er were elected to Congress last November. State of play: At least five candidates in the 9th are either Gen Zers or millennials: content creator Kat Abughazaleh (26), Skokie School Board member Bushra Amiwala (27), Schakowsky staff member Miracle Jenkins (31), state Rep. Hoan Huynh (35), and state Sen. Mike Simmons (42). The other side: Older candidates are also running in the crowded primary, including former state senator and Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss (47) and state Sen. Laura Fine (58). Other Democrats running include Bethany Johnson (46), Howard Rosenblum (59) and Bruce Leon (63). Republicans Mark Su (61) and Rocio Cleveland (41) are also running. Zoom in: Abughazaleh, who was born five months after Schakowsky was first elected in 1998, launched her campaign in March before the representative announced her retirement. She has leaned into the power of social media and online campaigning. "We actually raise most of our money online and with our text and email program," Abughazaleh tells Axios. "I personally approve all of our emails. I personally approve our texts, and we make sure that they're not spammy." Amiwala, the other Gen Zer, celebrates her age as an asset, telling CNBC last year, "I think Gen Zers embrace authenticity more so than other generations in the workforce, which is a powerful skill I've learned from my peers: If you show up as your authentic self, and are comfortable in your skin, more people will gravitate to you and want to work with you." Context: Abughazaleh says her appeal is less about age and more about experiences many older members of Congress lack. "A lot of our members of Congress didn't go through school shooting drills. Some of them don't even have kids that went through school shooting drills," Abughazaleh says. "They haven't had to pay out-of-pocket medical costs in a long-ass time. I just got health insurance like two weeks ago." Amiwala agrees: "Merit and diversity aren't on a continuum; you don't either get the most qualified candidate or the young/diverse candidate, you get and should expect both."
Politico
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Cash, clicks and cred in IL-09 showdown
Good Wednesday morning, Illinois. We stayed up sifting through Federal Election Commission reports so you wouldn't have to. TOP TALKER RACE TO WATCH: In the crowded race to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky in the 9th Congressional District, Daniel Biss won the quarterly fundraising numbers — and a big endorsement, too. Icing on the cake: The Evanston mayor and former state legislator reported a robust $703,000 in fundraising, and he's been endorsed by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Biss campaigned for her during her 2020 presidential run. The Tribune has the full story. Fundraising is important in this race. With13 declared candidates — yes, 13 — money helps set your name apart from everyone else. Modest numbers: State Sen. Laura Fine, a longtime ally and successor to Biss in the statehouse, posted a modest $262,805. To be sure, Biss and Fine entered the race as presumptive frontrunners in the district drawn for Democrats. They've walked the neighborhoods, marched in parades, shaken the hands. They know IL-09 like the back of their palms. But politics is no longer just a retail game. It's about viral moments, too. Enter Kat Abughazaleh, the social media-savvy progressive who pulled in nearly $526,000 during the second quarter — mostly from out of state. Abughazaleh also has $666,768 cash on hand at the end of the quarter, compared to Biss' $645,474 and Fine's $237,226. Abughazaleh is riding a Gen-Z wave that's also seen Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani captivate younger, more progressive voters in the New York mayor's race. There's a difference in Illinois, however. While Mamdani is embedded in his community, Abughazaleh only recently moved to the district and hasn't been steeped in local issues the way other candidates are. One world issue that's likely to become a talking point is the Israel-Hamas war, given IL-09 has a highly concentrated Jewish population along with its large Middle Eastern and Asian populations, too. It's also the home of the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center. Other candidates in the race who also could draw young and progressive voters are Skokie's Bushra Amiwala, who made history as the youngest Muslim elected official in the U.S. and remains a symbol of the district's diversity. She raised $199,000 in the second quarter. And State Rep. Hoan Huynh and state Sen. Mike Simmons, progressives with legislative chops, only just recently entered the race. Then there's Bruce Leon, an entrepreneur and Democratic committeeman who jumpstarted his campaign with a $610,000 infusion from his own wallet — a reminder that self-funding is a strategy, too. With such a crowded field and overlapping coalitions, the battle for IL-09 is shaping up to be a political cage match. Money is important — but messaging and grassroots credibility will likely decide who survives the primary. RELATED Why the races to succeed Krishnamoorthi, Schakowsky in Congress are packed: 'Illinois is experiencing a weakening of party organizations that historically have limited competition by slating candidates and enforcing party loyalty,' by the Daily Herald's Eric Peterson. THE BUZZ EYES ON TONI: When Cook County Democrats meet Thursday and Friday to listen to candidates make their case about why they should be endorsed by the party, Toni Preckwinkle, the party chair, will be among those standing in front of her peers. The big question: Will Democratic leaders ask her tough questions about her future as Cook County Board president? Will she run through the primary and general election? Will she hold the job all four years? The answers: Yes, yes and yes, according to her political spokesperson, Scott Kastrup. Preckwinkle, 78, expects to get tough questions, he said. 'And if she's chosen by Cook County voters, she'll serve all four years. There's no daylight there.' That quashes buzz that Preckwinkle might be angling to find a way to elevate her protege, Commissioner Bill Lowry, to the county's top job. Lowry declined to comment about the speculation when we ran into him the other day. For now, Preckwinkle remains the only candidate to put her name in the running for board president. Chicago Ald. Brendan Reilly has said he's considering running, and so has former state Sen. Rickey Hendon. RELATED FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: A new poll shows Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi leading with 19 percent of the vote compared to challengers who received single-digit support. But undecided voters number a significant 60 percent. Change Research, which conducted the poll on behalf of the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago, views it as a 'wide open race.' The poll also shows Kaegi's favorability and job approval numbers lag behind fellow countywide electeds — Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. The details: The survey of 1,052 likely 2026 Cook County Democratic primary voters was taken June 24 through July 2. Respondents were recruited into an online survey instrument. The modeled margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 toplines are here. If you are Brendan Reilly, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@ WHERE'S JB No official public events WHERE's BRANDON In City Hall at 8:30 a.m. for the Curfew Veto press conference and the City Council meeting at 10 a.m. Where's Toni At the Cook County Building at 6 p.m. to give opening remarks at the annual Preliminary Budget Townhall Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a (gasp!) complaint? Email skapos@ BUSINESS OF POLITICS — Susana Mendoza, the Illinois comptroller, is making an announcement today about her plans for 2026. The presser comes amid buzz that she won't seek re-election and could run for mayor. More from the Tribune's Rick Pearson and Jeremy Gorner. — BY THE NUMBERS: Elected officials across the state turned in their 2nd quarter fundraising numbers to the Illinois State Board of Elections. Here's what they raised from April through June: House Speaker Emanuel 'Chris' Welch: nearly $1 million Senate President Don Harmon: $866,638 Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias: just over $1 million Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs: $268,420 Illinois Atty. Gen. Kwame Raoul: $191,847 Comptroller Susana Mendoza: $84,525 Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson: $106,159 Ald. Bill Conway: $203,110 — In IL-02, Jesse Jackson Jr. is now forming an exploratory committee for a potential congressional campaign in the Democratic primary. In a statement, said he's taking the step in response to retired Congressman Bobby Rush and others urging him to run. The Sun-Times' Tina Sfondeles has more. — In IL-08, Dan Tully, a Democratic congressional candidate, is taking a break from the campaign for a few weeks 'to fulfill military service obligations,' he posted Tuesday. Tully is a captain in the Army Reserve and a judge advocate. — In IL-02: State Rep. La Shawn Ford and his decision to run for Congress, by the Austin Weekly News' Jessica Mordacq — State Sen. Andrew Chesney, a Republican and Freedom Caucus member from Freeport, says he'll seek re-election in the 45th District. — State Rep. Daniel Didech, a Democrat from Buffalo Grove, says he's going to run for a fifth term representing the 59th District. — Black Bench Chicago is now accepting applications for its third cohort, a six-month training program for young Black political leaders in Chicago. Black Bench was founded by political consultant Alex Sims Jones and is chaired by former Congressman Bobby Rush and activist Jacky Grimshaw. Details here THE STATEWIDES — After years of poor care, preventable deaths, Illinois is changing its prison health care provider: 'The state is backing out of its 10-year, $4 billion contract with Wexford Health Sources, but the new contractor has its own troubling track record in other states,' by WBEZ's Lauren Frost. — John Hooker, first of 'ComEd Four' to be sentenced, gets 1½ years in prison, by Capitol News' Hannah Meisel — The Illinois Freedom Caucus has filed two identical resolutions, HR427 and SR383, urging Gov. JB Pritzker to opt Illinois into the new federal school choice tax credit program created under President Donald Trump's megabill. See more under THE BUZZ. CHICAGO — Report shows big drop in Chicago police traffic stops, but sharp racial disparities persist: 'CPD made 45% fewer traffic stops in 2024, but Black and Latino drivers were four times more likely than white drivers to be pulled over,' by WBEZ's Chip Mitchell. — Chicago 'granny flats,' coach houses move a step closer to citywide legalization: Advocates say it could create more affordable housing, by the Tribune's Jake Sheridan. — Measure to opt out 2 Northwest Side wards from an anti-gentrification zone will now go before the full City Council, by the Block Club's Ariel Parrella-Aureli — Chicago to be flagship city for nationwide 'Good Trouble' protests denouncing Trump, by the Sun-Times' Janani Jana — Calls show CPD knew federal immigration agents were asking for help: 'An officer in the department's 'fusion' center told 911 dispatchers Homeland Security Investigations — a division of ICE—were calling for help. He also wanted to avoid media attention,' by Southside Weekly's Jim Daley. — 'The Bear' gets 13 Emmy nominations, including directing nod for actress Ayo Edebiri, by Block Club's Gwen Ihnat COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS — Chaperone policy reinstated at Six Flags Great America and Hurricane Harbor Chicago, by the Daily Herald's Mick Zawislak TAKING NAMES — Neil Shubin, a professor of biology and anatomy at University of Chicago, has been nominated as the next president of the National Academy of Sciences. His term as president will start June 30, 2026, via UChicago News. Reader Digest We asked Which historical politician would have had the most Instagram followers. Mark Batinick: 'Ben Franklin!' Mimi Cowan: 'Stephen Douglas, a total showman.' John Engle: 'Huey Long — a man with so much rizz that even FDR was scared of him.' John Fritchey: 'Abraham Lincoln because he was famous for his headshot.' Gregory Koeppen: 'JFK - @AskNotWhatYourInstaCanDo. Beach pics, vintage Kennedy reels, and shots of Jackie that break the internet.' Laura Kotelman: 'Teddy Roosevelt! The youngest president, all that hiking and conservation work, assassination attempt, the Teddy Bear, etc.' Mike Mahoney: 'Betty Loren-Maltese would have had a lucrative career doing hair and makeup tutorials if Instagram was around in the 1990s.' Jeff Nathan: 'Marie Antoinette.' Jennifer Olaya: 'Former Philippines Presidents Corazon Aquino and Ferdinand Marcos (from most admirable to least).' Terry Poulos: 'JFK and Jacqueline Kennedy would be by far the power political.' Omari Prince: 'JFK would have the most followers on Instagram.' Alison Pure-Slovin: 'President Abraham Lincoln for his Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address.' Timothy Thomas: 'Cyrus the Great, the head of the First Persian Empire, which comprised nearly 50 percent of the world's population in 550 or so BC.' Jon Zahm: 'President Theodore Roosevelt. His wit, outdoor adventures and robust family life would blow up IG.' NEXT QUESTION: If the two major political parties were pizza, what toppings would they have? THE NATIONAL TAKE — Illinois public broadcasters in Chicago, and especially downstate, fear impact as Senate vote to cut funding looms, by Daniel C. Vock for the Tribune — How Elon Musk's X is fueling the MAGA-Trump split, by POLITICO's Aaron Mak — The MAGA blowup over Pam Bondi has been a long time coming, by POLITICO's Kyle Cheney, Josh Gerstein and Hailey Fuchs TRANSITIONS — Maggie Angel is joining Gov. JB Pritzker's office in D.C. as director of federal affairs. She was a legislative assistant for Sen. Dick Durbin. IN MEMORIAM — Richard J. Guidice, a former state senator and lobbyist, has died, via obituary TRIVIA TUESDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Robert Barry for correctly answering that former state Sen. Bradley Glass was an all-American football player and NCAA heavyweight national champion at Princeton University. TODAY's QUESTION: Who was the LaSalle County state's attorney who went on to govern Michigan? Email skapos@ HAPPY BIRTHDAY Jewish United Fund Chief of Staff Jim Rosenberg, House Appropriations' Member Services Director Marcus Towns II, American Medical Association comms VP Justin DeJong, leadership consultant Ginny Clarke, Impact Research VP Madeline Conway, entrepreneur Victoria Rivka Zell, New Trier Chief Comms Officer Niki Dizon and POLITICO cybersecurity engineer Kalon Makle. And a belated greeting to Chicago Board of Education member Ebony DeBerry, who celebrated Tuesday. -30-
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Far-left House candidate rallies around healthcare for illegal immigrants: 'How is it controversial?'
Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old Democratic candidate for Illinois' ninth congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives, said "every single person in the world deserves healthcare," even illegal immigrants. "How is it controversial?" Abughazaleh asked a CNN "NewsNight" panel on Thursday night. The young progressive candidate, with a campaign website that reads, "I don't have health insurance, and I'm running for Congress," repeatedly told the panel that every person is entitled to healthcare when asked if that includes illegal immigrants. "I'm such a monster… How is it controversial that I don't want someone to die in the hospital if they can't afford it?" Abughazaleh asked. Dems Warn House Republicans Will Pay Price At Ballot Box For Passing Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act is currently under consideration by a Republican-led White House and Congress. The president has championed the legislation as fulfilling his key campaign promises, including border security, American energy production and tax cuts. Read On The Fox News App Gop Rails Against 'Blatantly False' Dem Claims About Medicaid Reform In Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' House Republicans have celebrated Medicaid reform included in the megabill, which they say eliminates waste, fraud and abuse in the welfare program to deliver for Americans who need coverage most. Removing illegal immigrants from Medicaid is one of the key provisions of that Medicaid reform. Meanwhile, Democrats have railed against possible Medicaid cuts since Trump was elected in November. Every House Democrat voted against the bill, and Democrats are already defining Medicaid cuts as a driving issue ahead of competitive midterm elections in 2026. The bill does not cut Medicaid for the most vulnerable, according to Rep. Erin Houchin, R-Ind., who served on three major committees leading budget markup in the reconciliation process. Houchin told Fox News Digital that targeting waste, fraud and abuse in the Medicaid program cuts benefits to illegal immigrants, those ineligible to receive benefits who are currently receiving benefits, duplicate enrollees in one or more states and those who are able-bodied but are choosing not to work. "Your bill is going to cut coverage for 11 million Americans and it'll still cost more than universal healthcare. Healthcare is a human right, you absolute ghouls," Abughazaleh said in response to a Republican National Committee (RNC) rapid response account calling her comments, "madness." Abughazaleh said she is running for the U.S. House of Representatives because, "Our leaders are out of touch." The young Democrat is challenging Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., who has served decades in congress. Abughazaleh is a former staffer for the progressive watchdog group, Media Matters, and a progressive article source: Far-left House candidate rallies around healthcare for illegal immigrants: 'How is it controversial?'
Chicago Tribune
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Democratic digital creator likely facing field of local politicians to succeed US Rep. Jan Schakowsky
A day after U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky told hundreds of people at a swanky downtown Chicago hotel that she wasn't running for reelection, the first major declared 9th Congressional District candidate sat cross-legged in her new Rogers Park campaign headquarters, painting an image of a lava lamp on the wall. Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old newcomer to the Chicago region who is banking on her blunt messaging and massive online following to earn her a place on Capitol Hill, might have been the first to announce she was running for the congressional seat — even before the 80-year-old Schakowsky said she wouldn't run again. But Abughazaleh won't be the last. One state legislator, state Sen. Laura Fine of Glenview, joined the race within hours of Schakowsky's announcement. Other local politicians are expected to follow soon, setting up a confrontation between candidates employing new media savvy and those relying on grassroots support and old-school organizing. In the heavily Democratic district, which includes parts of Chicago's Far North Side, as well as north and northwest suburbs from Evanston to Algonquin, the Democratic primary will be the key race in determining who will be only the third representative for the district since 1965. Abughazaleh — also known around the internet as 'Kat Abu' — is taking an unconventional approach with her nascent political career. While Abughazaleh has made a name for herself nationally with TikTok videos and on podcasts by blasting veteran Democrats for allegedly sitting on their hands in the face of Donald Trump's presidency, she has thin connections to the district and its voters. She said she's trying to solve that problem by attending rallies with veterans in Algonquin and hosting knitting circles at an Evanston bar while she continues to use social media to snag local followers and build excitement for her campaign — and her brand. 'I have this huge platform that I built with my own hard work, but it's great to have to start a campaign,' Abughazaleh said in a recent interview with the Tribune, adding that her goals are not just to win but to make the process of running for public office more approachable. 'It's so inaccessible for normal people. It feels like it's something reserved for the rich or already well-connected, which is reflected in our Congress.' Less than a day after Schakowsky, of Evanston, announced she wasn't running for a 15th term, Abughazaleh, dressed in overalls, sat on a blue Ikea gym mat and painted on the walls of her office space on Clark Street. She used social media to invite others to stop by, and about half a dozen 20-somethings did during the first couple of hours. Fine, for her part, attended Schakowsky's Ultimate Women's Power Lunch event last week with a couple of other potential competitors, watching the congresswoman make her announcement. Fine has much deeper ties to the district than Abughazaleh. Born in Skokie, she has represented the area since 2013, the last six years as a state senator. 'Washington is failing Illinois families,' Fine says on her campaign site. 'Trump and the Republicans in Congress want to rip away our access to health care. I personally know what that's like. I've expanded families' access to health care, and I'll never stop fighting for our future.' She almost certainly will not be the only local elected official to try to step into Schakowsky's shoes. North Side state Sen. Mike Simmons of Uptown, the Illinois Senate's first openly gay member, and Bushra Amiwala, a board member for Skokie School District 73.5 and one of the first Gen Z elected officials in the U.S., both told the Tribune they are weighing bids. Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, state Rep. Hoan Huynh, also of Uptown, and several other state lawmakers and city officials also could join the race. Onstage at Schakowsky's event, Jill Wine-Banks, an attorney and former Watergate prosecutor, didn't use Abughazaleh's name but asked Schakowsky if having a declared competitor motivated her to retire. 'I've always had someone running against me, and I have always beaten that person,' Schakowsky responded to applause. 'I've always had the opportunity to try and lift, especially women, but not always, to run for office, to feel secure to do something brave. And I'll be looking forward to working on campaigns locally and nationally and will continue to do that. But I certainly am not afraid, at all, of anybody who ran against me.' Speaking to reporters after her remarks last week, Schakowsky declined to endorse a successor. Kitty Kurth, a longtime Democratic political strategist, said she anticipates a 'plethora of qualified, homegrown candidates' will join the race and that district voters will be paying attention. 'In this district, politics is not a spectator sport, but hand-to-hand combat,' Kurth said. 'It's a district of a lot of politically savvy, politically active voters. A lot of the Democrats who live in the district spent all last year going to campaign in Wisconsin (against Trump). They understand politics on a granular level, not on a TikTok level. … You can get a lot of people to watch your show on TikTok, but that doesn't move them to the polls.' The area's elected officials also have an organizational advantage over first-time candidates like Abughazaleh, Kurth said. 'It's not so much about an existing machine. It's about knowing how to organize volunteers,' Kurth said. 'You need someone who knows how to recruit volunteers and what to do with volunteers once you get them, and how to run a field operation. I don't know that (Abughazaleh) has worked in a political organization, volunteered on a campaign, or knows what it's like to run a petition drive.' Still, Abughazaleh has shown the ability to raise money nationally for her congressional bid. She brought in more than $350,000 in the first month of her campaign, giving her a leg up — at least for now — on state and local elected officials who can't use their existing campaign accounts to pay for federal races. The Abughazaleh campaign's first test, Kurth said, will be collecting enough signatures to get her name on the ballot. Legally, Democratic candidates in the district need to gather only 1,173 valid signatures between when signature collection begins in August and when nominating petitions are due Nov. 3. But campaigns often collect far more than the minimum to show broad support and ward off challenges from rival camps. Abughazaleh is the latest — and most prominent — young influencer to make a bid for the U.S. House. A pro-gun Texas candidate lost a Republican primary last year, and an Arizona activist is running in a special election in July. 'The difficulty for (Abughazaleh) and all of them is that their fan base online does not translate into the ability to have a base in these districts,' said Erin Covey, an editor who specializes in House races for the Cook Political Report, an elections newsletter based in Washington, D.C. Abughazaleh not being from the district, Covey added, 'will be a significant hindrance.' But Abughazaleh rejects the 'carpetbagger' label some have assigned to her for moving to the area and declaring a run for Congress all in less than a year. 'I mean, there are plenty of districts that would be easier to carpetbag, as I've been accused of online, and like, if that's the case, I'm a very bad carpetbagger,' she said. 'I moved to the wrong district, first off. … I want to live where I want to live and run because it's something I believe.' Abughazaleh said she came to Chicago for personal — not political — reasons. Until last year, she worked in Washington as an analyst and researcher for the liberal advocacy group Media Matters for America. But Abughazaleh was one of a dozen staff members the group laid off after being sued by Elon Musk for a report alleging that corporate advertisers' posts on Musk's social media platform X, formerly Twitter, were being displayed next to pro-Nazi content. The lawsuits are ongoing. Abughazaleh left Washington on 'super short notice' to accompany her partner, Ben Collins, in Chicago after he became CEO of the news satire site The Onion last spring. They landed in a two-bedroom apartment on North Michigan Avenue with a monthly rent of around $4,000. She first publicly acknowledged her relationship with Collins after the Tribune asked her about it. She released a video that Collins also shared in which he appears in one of Abughazaleh's posts about their cat. In an interview, she said her partner has supported her financially as she runs for Congress. Abughazaleh grew up primarily in Texas, where she attended private school, and attended George Washington University, a private school in Washington, D.C. But she said her family hasn't provided financial support to her since she was 20. Abughazaleh said she never intended to stay in the Streeterville apartment, which is outside the 9th District, and is looking to move north, into the district, to Rogers Park or Edgewater, where she enjoys the feel of the neighborhoods and has friends close by. After moving to Chicago, Abughazaleh covered the Democratic National Convention last summer, including unsuccessful efforts by Palestinian Americans to secure a speaking slot on stage to highlight Israel's mass killing of Palestinians in Gaza in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Abughazaleh's grandfather was a Palestinian immigrant (she says her last name is derived from the Arabic word for 'gazelle'), and she has repeatedly criticized U.S. support for Israel's Gaza campaign. Many of her videos show a kaffiyeh, or Palestinian headscarf, hanging on the wall behind her desk. Abughazaleh's position on the war in Gaza will be one she'll have to answer for in a district that has elected only two people to Congress — both Jewish — since 1965. Before Schakowsky, who is Jewish, the 9th Congressional District was represented by Sidney Yates, one of six children of Lithuanian Jewish immigrants, who represented the district for 24 terms, a five-decade run interrupted by only one term in the 1960s. Abughazaleh's grandfather, who died in 2017, lived in Chicago for a time, she said, but her father rarely mentioned the family living here. After Trump returned to office this year, Abughazaleh said, she became dismayed with how little Democrats in Washington were doing to stop or slow his actions. She soon jumped into the congressional race with a slick video and a memorable message: 'Donald Trump and Elon Musk are dismantling our country piece by piece, and so many Democrats seem content to just sit back and let them. So I say it's time to drop the excuses and grow a (expletive) spine.' Abughazaleh mentioned Illinois only once in the two-minute video, when specifying for which U.S. House seat she was running. In pitching her candidacy, she advocated for free child care and expanding Social Security. And she promised her campaign would be different, coordinating mutual aid efforts and swearing off 'spammy guilt-trip texts' and 'grifty consultants.' Abughazaleh's campaign actually sent out fundraising texts. But after getting some blowback accusing her of not keeping her word, she said her campaign has stopped sending out cold texts and now allows people who donate to opt out of further texts. The timing of her campaign launch proved auspicious. As she hammered Trump barely two months into his term and Democrats for being weak, Abughazaleh looked ahead of the game when top Senate Democrats, including U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, voted to advance a Republican spending bill to avoid a government shutdown. Abughazaleh, who rejects the 'influencer' label, was already well-known to many politically active voters. She had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers over the last few years on TikTok and Bluesky by sharing, dissecting and commenting on conservative media. Her internet celebrity helped her land profiles in The Washington Post, The Guardian, GQ, Rolling Stone and Germany's Die Zeit, plus friendly interviews on podcasts like The Bulwark's 'FYPod,' even as she remains largely unknown in the district she's hoping to represent. Abughazaleh says her experiences fighting with right-wing media figures and rallying people against them would serve her well in Washington. 'I want to give voters another option, and I think that my expertise can be used in Congress. I want to bring it there so you can effectively fight back against Trump,' she said. But Abughazaleh also chafed at the idea that her campaign is solely focused on her online audience. 'People think that this campaign is really online, because that's what my background is,' she said, speaking at a corner table at Sketchbook Brewing in Evanston. 'But this is about our ground game. It's been about our office hours. It's been about the knitting circle that we held right in that corner over there. We got little campaign embroidery kits, and I'm going to be teaching a class. … I taught (my women's club) how to embroider, and we want to do that at places around the district, so that way we can foster community in a way that's not just on Zoom. I know that might sound idealistic, but I don't care.' Fine, the state senator, is taking a more traditional approach in the initial days of her campaign. Her announcement came as a news release touting the endorsements of other elected officials. She also shared a 24-second video on Facebook and Instagram asking for donations to her campaign. Fine is leaning into her experience as a legislator who has led efforts to make health insurance work better for consumers. Her husband, Michael, lost one of his arms in a near-fatal car crash in 2010 when a driver in a truck hit his car on his way to work, she said in an interview. She traces her desire to get into politics to the ensuing struggle with insurance companies. 'I made taking on big insurance my life's work, and I feel like I didn't let them ruin my family, and I was not going to let them ruin any others,' she said. Since then, her legislative victories include protecting care for preexisting conditions in the event the Affordable Care Act is overturned. Last year, she also sponsored part of Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker's health insurance reform package to ban short-term 'junk' plans. She is chair of the Senate committee covering mental health and serves on other committees covering health and insurance. 'We need guys like him to start paying their fair share,' Fine said of Trump. Fine declined to provide specifics on how she would fight the Trump administration, a contrast to Abughazaleh's promises to 'gum up the works' of the Republican president's initiatives such as standing 'arm in arm' to block Musk's team from the Department of Government Efficiency from entering the offices of the U.S. Treasury and accessing taxpayers' personal information. Fine, who is Jewish and co-chair of the Legislative Jewish Caucus, first had her candidacy reported in the publication Jewish Insider, which described her as a 'pro-Israel favorite' in the race. The legislator declined to share any opinion about Abughazaleh's past criticisms of Israel, saying she had not looked into Abughazaleh's views. Abughazaleh said she welcomes other candidates like Fine joining the race. 'I know there are probably a lot of local names that'll throw their hats in the ring and, frankly, I wish that they would do it sooner,' she said. 'We have this culture where you can't cut in line, you've got to wait in line until it's your turn. Why?' 'Look,' she added, 'if you're the best candidate, you shouldn't be afraid of competition.'
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Illinois state Sen. Laura Fine joins race to replace US Rep. Jan Schakowsky
CHICAGO — Less than a day after long-serving U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky announced she was not running for reelection next year, Democratic state Sen. Laura Fine on Tuesday became the first elected official to join the race to become the next representative from Illinois' 9th Congressional District. Fine, a longtime resident of Glenview, may end up part of a crowded primary field of Far North Side, and north and northwest suburban Democrats running to replace the 14-term Schakowsky in the strong Democratic district. A progressive critic of the far right and social media content creator, Kat Abughazaleh, had already announced she was joining the race even before Schakowsky said she planned to retire. Abughazaleh also has a head start in fundraising for next year's race. The primary will be held on March 17. 'We are at a historical moment, where our rights are under attack by a President who is selling out working families to line the pockets of his wealthy cronies,' Fine said in a statement announcing her campaign. 'I've spent my career fighting that fight, passing historic legislation that puts people over special interests.' Fine traces her political career back to her husband's involvement in a 2010 car accident and her ensuing fight with health insurance companies, which she says led her to a 'mission to reform the system.' Last year, she sponsored part of Gov. JB Pritzker's health insurance reform package to ban short-term 'junk' health insurance plans. She is chair of the Senate committee covering mental health and vice chair of the committee on insurance. When she first joined the state Senate in 2018, after five years in the House, Fine filled the seat vacated by Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, who may also run for the 9th Congressional District seat. Biss vacated the seat to run for governor in 2018, losing to JB Pritzker. He was first elected Evanston mayor in 2021 and was reelected earlier this year. Fine represents a more traditional choice than Abughazaleh, who just moved to Illinois last year and is looking to leverage her national platform criticizing the far right online. So far, Abughazaleh's campaign strategy has focused largely on holding a number of small community events, but due in large part to her online presence she raised about $379,000 in the first quarter of 2025, according to federal elections disclosures. Just hours after Schakowsky announced she would not seek a 15th term, Abughazaleh wrote an email to supporters that criticized traditional national Democratic Party leaders' response to President Donald Trump's first three months in office. 'I'm running for Congress because it's time to do more — the same old s— isn't working,' Abughazaleh wrote in the email. 'No matter what party leadership says, strongly worded letters aren't enough, and symbolic gestures like wearing matching colors and holding up quippy signs aren't adequate responses to far-right extremism.' Both Abughazaleh and Fine applauded Schakowsky's legacy after the congresswoman announced her plans to step aside from the seat she's held since 1999. Schakowsky, speaking to reporters on Monday, declined to endorse a successor. Fine joined the race with endorsements from state Reps. Tracy Katz Muhl and Margaret Croke, state Sens. Mary Edly-Allen and Laura Murphy, and Lake County Board chair Sandy Hart, among others, according to her campaign announcement. The publication Jewish Insider, which reported the news of Fine's announcement early Tuesday, described her as a Jewish 'pro-Israel favorite' in the race. Schakowsky is also Jewish and a staunch supporter of Israel. ____
