Gen-Z challenger emerges against progressive Congress member from Illinois
Rep. Jan Schakowsky, a long-serving representative for the Chicago-area district, has not yet revealed her intentions regarding reelection.
TroibNews 
CHICAGO — A progressive social media influencer declared her candidacy for Congress on Monday in the Chicago-area district currently represented by Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky, expressing dissatisfaction with Democratic Party leadership.
“I don't think the Democratic Party right now is doing enough. [Sen. ] Chuck Schumer backing down on the funding bill was just disgusting, frankly, and we can't keep going that way,” Kat Abughazaleh stated, revealing her campaign on the Bluesky social network during an interview.
Schakowsky, a long-standing member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, has served the area for decades. At 80 years old, she has not yet indicated whether she will run for reelection.
Abughazaleh has experience in political coverage, having reported on the Democratic National Convention as a social media influencer and working with the liberal watchdog organization Media Matters For America. She gained notoriety on TikTok for her sharp political humor, and her critiques of Fox News regarding its coverage of then-Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign were featured in the liberal magazine Mother Jones.
Her entry into Illinois politics coincides with growing discontent among progressive Democrats toward the party. Recently, Sen. Bernie Sanders has urged progressives to consider running as independent candidates instead of under the Democratic banner, which some view as increasingly unpopular.
After moving to the Chicago area in July, Abughazaleh voted in the 2024 election in Washington, D.C., as her lease had not yet ended, she explained to PMG. She registered to vote in Illinois last month and currently resides outside the district but plans to relocate into it “soon.”
“The district itself is really, really, really cool, and I think that it deserves more options for representation,” she told PMG. “Since 1998, there hasn't been a competitive primary. I was born in 1999. So I think a huge problem with why we're in this mess — with rising fascism, with ineffective Democrats — is just because we aren't giving voters more options. There's not enough diversity of thoughts or how we can change the establishment.”
Schakowsky has recently mentioned that she is contemplating her next steps, stating she is still “ready to fight” but recognizes that her age is a consideration in her decision-making process.
"Take out the word progressive, and let’s talk about what we mean,” Schakowsky remarked. “We talk about it as if you have to be a progressive to be for these kinds of things that help people. We have to be better at talking about them.”
First elected to the 9th Congressional District in 1998 after eight years in the Illinois General Assembly, Schakowsky defeated then-businessman JB Pritzker in her primary that year, who later became the state's governor in 2019.
If Schakowsky opts not to run for reelection, several prominent Illinois Democrats could be interested in the seat, including state Sen. Laura Fine and Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, both representing constituents in the district.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
“I don't think the Democratic Party right now is doing enough. [Sen. ] Chuck Schumer backing down on the funding bill was just disgusting, frankly, and we can't keep going that way,” Kat Abughazaleh stated, revealing her campaign on the Bluesky social network during an interview.
Schakowsky, a long-standing member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, has served the area for decades. At 80 years old, she has not yet indicated whether she will run for reelection.
Abughazaleh has experience in political coverage, having reported on the Democratic National Convention as a social media influencer and working with the liberal watchdog organization Media Matters For America. She gained notoriety on TikTok for her sharp political humor, and her critiques of Fox News regarding its coverage of then-Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign were featured in the liberal magazine Mother Jones.
Her entry into Illinois politics coincides with growing discontent among progressive Democrats toward the party. Recently, Sen. Bernie Sanders has urged progressives to consider running as independent candidates instead of under the Democratic banner, which some view as increasingly unpopular.
After moving to the Chicago area in July, Abughazaleh voted in the 2024 election in Washington, D.C., as her lease had not yet ended, she explained to PMG. She registered to vote in Illinois last month and currently resides outside the district but plans to relocate into it “soon.”
“The district itself is really, really, really cool, and I think that it deserves more options for representation,” she told PMG. “Since 1998, there hasn't been a competitive primary. I was born in 1999. So I think a huge problem with why we're in this mess — with rising fascism, with ineffective Democrats — is just because we aren't giving voters more options. There's not enough diversity of thoughts or how we can change the establishment.”
Schakowsky has recently mentioned that she is contemplating her next steps, stating she is still “ready to fight” but recognizes that her age is a consideration in her decision-making process.
"Take out the word progressive, and let’s talk about what we mean,” Schakowsky remarked. “We talk about it as if you have to be a progressive to be for these kinds of things that help people. We have to be better at talking about them.”
First elected to the 9th Congressional District in 1998 after eight years in the Illinois General Assembly, Schakowsky defeated then-businessman JB Pritzker in her primary that year, who later became the state's governor in 2019.
If Schakowsky opts not to run for reelection, several prominent Illinois Democrats could be interested in the seat, including state Sen. Laura Fine and Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, both representing constituents in the district.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
