After primary loss, Kat Abughazaleh moves to boost campaigns across Midwest

Fresh off a second-place finish, progressive content creator and former congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh is scaling up her political network to help purple and progressive candidates in the Midwest — all while keeping her Rogers Park campaign office open as a mutual aid hub and community space.

"I'm not going to get stuck in the mud of our election loss, and I hope that you don't either," Abughazaleh said in a video Thursday. "In fact, I hope you help us, because we need it."

The 26-year-old former journalist garnered 25.9% of the vote in the March 17 Democratic primary, losing to Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, who won with 29.6% of the vote. That 9th Congressional District race was one of the most competitive the state has seen in years, with 15 Democrats vying for the seat that opened up for the first time since 1999. Abughazaleh was credited for jumping in the race even before Rep. Jan Schakowsky announced her retirement.

Abughazaleh announced she will help campaigns "integrate mutual aid and direct action into their races," and she plans to help races across the country, "especially in the Midwest." Abughazaleh said she is working with partners to fund the project and plans to expand it to help other candidates.

"'But Kat, you lost your race. How could you even say that this model could win races?' Well I'm so glad you asked. We came in a very close second in a field of 15, beating out AIPAC and multiple established local politicians, and we did it with zero outside money," Abughazaleh said. "We brought in more first-time Gen Z donors than the DSCC [Democratic Senate Campaign Committee] the DCC [Democratic Congressional Committee], [Senate Minority Leader Chuck] Schumer, [House Minority Leader Hakeem] Jeffries and my next two primary opponents combined."

Abughazaleh raised an astonishing $3.3 million in an anti-establishment primary race, which included avoiding newspaper and Democratic Party endorsements and using livestream events to solicit small-donor donations instead of begging big-time donors for cash. She also used that time to tell voters about her platform, which included universal health care, protections against price-gouging, more housing with federal incentives, climate action — and removing lead pipes.

Abughazaleh said the campaign's framework for mutual aid — opening up her Rogers Park campaign office as a place for people to come for food, clothing and essential needs like baby formula — "was the No. 1 persuader to undecided voters."

Part of her post-election plans also include increasing free community-focused events at the Rogers Park campaign office at 7016 N. Clark St.

"By a long shot, people feel helpless and alone in the face of fascism, and the system is meant to make you feel that way. Authoritarians want you to feel paralyzed. They want you to keep doom scrolling. And instead, we came with a different offer," Abughazaleh said. "What if you join us for a park cleanup? What if you help us knit hats for people during a cold snap? What if you help us organize diapers for parents that need them?"

Abughazaleh is also one of four defendants remaining in the federal “Broadview Six” case, accused of a conspiracy to impede a federal agent outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview last fall. Defense attorneys have argued the indictment is another example of President Donald Trump’s administration using the Justice Department to target his “perceived political enemies.”

For now, the case is set for trial May 26.