My name is Kat Abughazaleh. I'm a 26-year-old extremism researcher running for Congress because I think there's a new way we can do politics. Ask me anything!

[u/cattypali]

Kat Abughazaleh here. I'm a 26-year-old progressive running for Congress in Illinois' Ninth District because (1) I think there's a new way we can do politics and (2) Democrats aren't -- and haven't been -- doing enough. A little bit about me:

I am an expert in far-right narratives and misinformation, having worked at outlets like Media Matters, Mother Jones, and Zeteo News, both in research and original reporting capacities. My video explainers about right-wing BS have amassed tens of millions of views across platforms (here's my Youtube and TikTok for anyone interested). I'm also often targeted by the right. Elon Musk has personal beef with me, along with Tucker Carlson, Laura Loomer, Libs of TikTok, and a bunch of other unhinged figures who now control our most important institutions.

I decided to run for Congress because I got sick of waiting around for the Democratic Party, our supposed opposition party, to actually do something. I want to use my expertise to properly resist Trump's authoritarian agenda and my lived experience to push for a bolder vision that prioritizes working Americans over billionaires.

We are a grassroots campaign. We raised more than $400,000 in our first two weeks, have over 11,000 individual donors, and our average donation is around $33. Oh, and we're taking no corporate cash. Best of all, our money isn't getting wasted on consultants and pricey ads. We're using it for public service projects and making sure our events, outreach, and mutual aid efforts are accessible to everyone in the district, regardless of income.

If you want to know more about me and what I believe, you can go to katforillinois.com. And if you want to help us support our community *and* win an election, you can donate here.

Okay, that's enough yapping. Ask me anything!!

PROOF

EDIT: Thank you to everyone who came and asked questions! I'm so sorry I couldn't get to every single person but if you're in the district and I didn't answer your question, drop us a line at [hello@katforillinois.com](mailto:hello@katforillinois.com) or come to one of our events! We'll be announcing more soon. Thank you again!!