If you’re like most of us—living through the darkest timeline, wondering when and if the Democrats are going to offer some kind of resistance to the rising fascist tide, tearing your hair out with each fresh attack on our human rights—there’s one central question occupying most of your thoughts right now. Is somebody going to like…do something? About all the horrible things happening?
The answer, sadly, is a resounding no. With Bernie Sanders talking about how “cracking down on the border” should have been a bigger Dem talking point and proposed GOP laws concerning the legality of gender-affirming haircuts, it’s clear we’re in hell and we’re here to stay. But one YouTuber is taking this moment to stand up and fight back, unlike…you know…a lot of elected officials.
I'm Kat Abughazaleh and I'm running for Congress.
— Kat Abughazaleh (@katmabu.bsky.social) March 24, 2025 at 6:30 AM
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Kat Abughazaleh is a 26-year-old TikToker, past Media Matters staffer, and political commentator known for her pitch-perfect Fox News breakdowns and explainers. And like many of us, she’s mad as hell and she’s not going to take it anymore.
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“Donald Trump and Elon Musk are dismantling our country piece by piece,” Abughazaleh explains in a video released last night announcing her run. “And so many Democrats are content to just sit back and let them.”
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Pointing out that the Democratic playbook is woefully outdated, Abughazaleh explains that the party “need[s] a makeover,” stat. According to a Rolling Stone profile, Abughazaleh woke up on the day after the election filled with purposeful rage. Instead of making plans to get out of the country, she decided to stay and put that anger to good use. Now, she’s making a bid for a seat in Illinois’s 9th district. And she’s got an edge over the competition: she’s young, she comes from a media background, and she’s not playing by anybody’s rules. The daughter of a Palestinian immigrant, Abughazaleh is keyed into the issues that Gen Z cares about most—including Palestinian liberation and trans rights—and she’s using her platform to organize mutual aid and community events, something more politicians should be investing in.
“There is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t be able to afford housing, groceries, and healthcare, with some money left over,” she explains in the video. “…our unalienable rights shouldn’t be dependent on who’s in power.”
Honestly, she’s got our vote.
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