A radical leftist social media influencer, Kat Abughazaleh, lost her bid for Congress after Democratic Party primary voters chose Evanston, Illinois Mayor Daniel Biss. Folks made it clear they weren’t down with the idea of an influencer representing them in Congress by voting in Biss, who won just hours after his campaign confirmed he had a relationship with a former student during his tenure as a professor at the University of Chicago in 2004.
Abughazaleh, who was formerly employed by leftist organization Media Matters where she did research against conservative outlets, was one of 15 total candidates who threw their hats in the ring to take over the seat of Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) who is retiring from the position. Schakowsky represented the 9th District which includes parts of Chicago and its northwestern suburbs.
The influencer, also known as Kat Abu, got a mild taste of internet fame after doing a series of stunts, which included trying to impede Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicles during a protest in Broadview, Illinois in September 2025. The incident resulted in her being arrested and charged with conspiracy to impede the ICE vehicles.
Federal authorities accused Abughazaleh of writing the word “PIG” on an ICE vehicle. Video of the incident showed her being tossed to the ground by an officer. She ultimately pleaded not guilty and slammed the charge, saying it was an “attempt by the Trump administration to criminalize protest and punish those who dare to speak up.”
According to the New York Post, Abughazaleh pulled in 26% of the vote, while Biss received 30%. The race was called a little after 10:35 p.m. Eastern Time. Both candidates support abolishing ICE and putting a single-payer healthcare system in place. Abughazaleh, a Palestinian-American, ripped her opponent for not dropping the hammer on Israel, pointing out that Biss had a meeting with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in the early days of his campaign.
The report goes on to reveal that Biss distinguished himself from Abughazaleh by keeping his campaign focused on his experience as a politician, which includes serving 8 years in the Illinois legislature, along with a failed campaign for governor. The race split Democrats within the party between establishment and more progressive individuals.
Biss had the support of Schakowsky, along with Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairman Greg Casar (D-Texas), former CPC Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). However, Abughazaleh proved to be a big hit with the younger members of the infamous “Squad” including Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rashida Tlaib, (D-MI), and also Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA).
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Abughazaleh also found herself embroiled in scandal when it was discovered that she grew up in a $3.3 million home, rather than the humble origins she claimed in her video. “Am I poor? Right now, yeah,” she said in an interview with NBC Chicago. “I have depleted my savings. I have been financially independent since I was 21.”
Another controversy came earlier this year when she fell asleep through a virtual forum. Abughazaleh later blamed the incident on a narcoleptic sleep attack. Biss was accused by Megan Wachspress of being involved in a relationship with a former student, a mathematics and political science major, in a Bluesky and Substack post.
However, a spokesperson for Biss revealed that the aspiring congressman was 26 at the time and the student was 20. Biss was not married at the time. Biss is now heavily favored to defeat his Republican challenger, keeping the seat firmly in the hands of the Democrats following the 2026 midterms. A Republican has not held the seat since 1946.
Featured Image: screenshot from embedded video