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Far-left social media influencer and former Media Matters journalist Kat Abughazaleh has lost her bid to replace a veteran House Democrat in Illinois.
Abughazaleh was one of 15 people running in a crowded primary to replace Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., who is retiring after nearly 30 years in Congress.
He lost to Daniel Biss, the mayor of Everston, Illinois, and a former state legislator.
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Democratic congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh holds a megaphone in front of the Broadview ICE processing facility on September 26, 2025. (Jim Vondruska/Reuters)
The race to replace Schakowsky in Illinois' 9th Congressional District, a safe blue seat, has been a centuries-long battle.
Abughazaleh, 26, is part of an increasingly politically active circle of left-wing Generation Z activists who have criticized the Democratic establishment.
His campaign website touts “a new kind of Democratic campaign,” warning: “If you're a right-wing billionaire or a member of the Democratic consulting class, this campaign is not for you.”
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Representative Jan Schakowsky speaks at a press conference in Washington, DC, on July 18, 2022. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images to Recover Legal Action Fund)
In particular, he said during a primary debate that he did not support the continued leadership of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
The progressive influencer was also indicted on federal charges late last year related to an incident in which agitators allegedly attacked an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicle outside a detention center in a Chicago suburb.
Fine, who is supported by groups linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), said he would back Jeffries. She was the most moderate of the three favorites.
Biss did not intervene. He was the only candidate endorsed by Schakowsky in the race.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks before an upcoming House vote on funding for the Department of Homeland Security, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on March 5, 2026. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
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Before becoming mayor of the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Biss ran for governor but lost the primary to Illinois' current leader, Governor JB Pritzker.
The 9th Congressional District includes part of Chicago and its northern suburbs and is classified as D+19 by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
The winner of Tuesday night's primary was all but assured of winning the November general election.
