Kat Abughazaleh Is Not Running A Normal Campaign. That’s the Point.

“Chicago is inspiring as hell,” says Kat Abughazaleh. “It’s the only city where Trump canceled a rally because he got scared.”

That energy—resistant, joyful, and ready to push back—is what Abughazaleh is betting her campaign on. She’s running for Congress in IL-9, a rare open seat in one of the safest blue districts in the country where representative Jan Schakowsky, who has held the seat since 1999, is expected to announce her retirement tomorrow.

Abughazaleh has already out-fundraised the field, racked up national media, and moved fast—faster than a local machine that isn’t quite sure how to handle someone like her.

She’s not playing catch-up with the right’s disinfo machine—she’s one of the only candidates who’s already survived it, dismantled it, and knows how to fight back on its turf — and her campaign is built for a moment most Democrats still don’t seem ready for.

That’s the bet: that Kat Abughazaleh can use her media fluency to shift how Chicago organizes —and how to builds political power in a post-Trump, post-business as usual world.

As a comms worker and organizer in Chicago who spends a lot of time yelling about messaging and strategy, I wanted to ask Kat the questions I keep hearing, especially from the old guard.

We spoke briefly about building a different kind of campaign: one grounded in community events, a strong digital presence, and real answers for people trying to navigate political burnout, far-right attacks, and the future of the Democratic Party.

Why this district? Why now?

Kat: My partner got a job here on short notice and we moved fast. We planned to live in Edgewater or Andersonville before I ever considered running—and once we were here, it just made sense. I love this district. It’s one of the most politically engaged and progressive areas I’ve ever been in. People know what’s going on, they care about their neighbors, they show up. It’s welcoming, it’s walkable, and there are local businesses you won’t find anywhere else. (There’s a yarn shop run by a Jeopardy champion called Drop Stitch. It was made in a lab for me to love.)

And for the record—yes, people move. Especially now. Young people especially are fleeing climate collapse, abortion bans, and anti-trans laws.

People are coming to Chicago because it’s safer. It’s good. That’s part of what makes this city powerful.

And my family has ties here. I’m learning a lot about my dad and grandfather… who just like, Arab dads pretend they were born at 40. Nothing happened before. So I’ve been learning that the reason my dad came to Chicago was because the like, OG Mayor Daley needed someone for accountability that was mandated, and that was my grandfather.

That feels very… dad of him.

I was like, why did you not tell me this?! And my mom was literally behind the phone, arms crossed, ensuring that he told me.

Your campaign looks and feels different—more DIY, more community-based. How's it going?

Kat: Honestly, it's going incredibly well. Our first event was a menstrual product drive. I was worried nobody would show, but we ended up collecting over 5,600 pads and tampons—and not just any, but the good ones, with the nice applicators. People have been so down to help. We’re planning a community fridge event with live music and a grill. We held a knitting corner postcard-writing event. Next month we’re launching a $2,500 microgrant program for high school students doing public service projects. All of our daily fundraising is going toward that right now.

It’s about showing up and proving that politics can be about people.

You have a background fighting the far right. What does that bring to the race?

Kat: This is sad, not a brag, but: you’ll be hard-pressed to find another candidate who’s had as much experience with this. I spent my whole career warning Democrats about the right-wing machine. We said, over and over, please pay attention. And they didn’t. Now we’re here.

The deputy director of the FBI used to harass me on Twitter. JD Vance only got into power because of Tucker Carlson. And now the GOP is running its agenda through coordinated disinformation.

We have to take this seriously. Even if you don’t want to be “online,” the right is coming for public workers, for local governance, for federal infrastructure. Being able to survive that level of hate is a skill now—not just for electeds, but for all of us.

You’ve also invited people to run against you. Is that real?

Kat: Absolutely. If people want to jump in this race, I say: hell yes, let’s go. Send me your launch link. I’m not afraid of a primary. We could do a joint Pride party. Let’s organize together.

What about constituent services? What would you carry forward if elected?

Kat: I want to modernize it. Jan Schakowsky set a strong foundation, and people in this district expect a high standard of constituent services. But we can go further. I want to integrate a chat feature—most young people don’t like phones, and multitasking is the norm. People need easier entry points for getting help. We can make that happen.

Last thoughts?

Kat: Chicago is inspiring as hell. This is the only city where Trump canceled a rally because he got scared. It was the first place to integrate two schools in the country. And now it’s a refuge for people fleeing states that are becoming unlivable. That energy—resistant, joyful, brave—is what I want to carry forward.

Follow Kat at @abughazalehkat.

This Q&A edited for clarity and length. Any typos are 4D chess.

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