A New Generation of Arab-American Politicians: Kat Abughazaleh

posted on: Jan 21, 2026

By: Robert Jackson / Arab America Contributing Writer

A new generation of Arab-American politicians is emerging. Kat Abughazaleh is one of them. The 26-year-old journalist turned democratic primary candidate for Illinois’s 9th congressional district is making waves. As a digital native, she has been extremely active online promoting progressive politics and has been extremely vocal against right-wing personalities. As the first part of a series of articles about new Arab-American politicians, I had the opportunity to interview her about her campaign, Palestinian heritage, and herself. 

Resistance Politics:

Kat is certainly a progressive candidate. Before her political career started, she had already gone after figures like Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk as a journalist. She was even laid off from her job at Media Matters after her employer at the time faced legal action by Mr. Musk. Running on an anti-authoritarian and affordability platform, she is focused on confronting the Trump Administration much more directly than other candidates. Her clashes with the administration have been well documented. She has been thrown to the ground multiple times by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officers and indicted by the Department of Justice for allegedly assaulting and conspiring to injure law enforcement at protests at an ICE facility in Illinois. 

During our interview, Kat said she would continue to fight against authoritarianism, whether by working with small government Republicans to shrink Border Patrol’s jurisdiction or by slowing proceedings in Congress by calling points of order. When I asked her about what she would say to those who think she lacks experience, she responded, “My experience is fighting against fascists, the exact fascists that now run our country.”

Affordability Agenda:

Kat’s second major priority is affordability. Focusing on wealth disparity, she supports higher taxes on billionaires and corporations, raising the minimum wage to $25 per hour, and much more.

Although the election isn’t over, that hasn’t stopped Kat from helping her community. She talked to me about how her work has allowed her to connect with all walks of life in the northern suburbs of Chicago. She has used campaign funds to help those less fortunate get access to essentials. Her office provides clothing, food, school supplies, and Narcan. When I asked her about the hardest part of the campaign, she said it was not being rich. “I have completely depleted my savings, I’ve gone into debt, my job is a conflict of interest, so I couldn’t even work if I wanted to.”

To Kat, making running for office more accessible is deeply important. “I think we need public funding of elections first off,” which would eliminate the need for “call time.” During which most candidates and elected officials spend hours a day talking to major donors to fund their campaigns.

Anti-AIPAC Stance:

Kat has been a vocal critic of AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) for a long time. In one of her most recent YouTube videos, published January 12th, she declared “F*ck AIPAC Week.” She supported an opponent, Bruce Leon’s decision to stay in the primary race after he came under pressure from AIPAC to drop out. Despite being a pro-Israel Democrat, AIPAC didn’t think Mr. Leon could win. When I asked Kat about this, she told me that even though she disagreed with him on many issues, including Palestine, he had done the work and earned a spot on the ballot. She told me that respect for the democratic process was the main reason she supported Mr. Leon’s decision not to give in to AIPAC’s pressure. As it turned out, during the interview, it was announced that Mr. Leon would drop out of the primary anyway. 

Arab Heritage:

Kat’s heritage was an important part of her journey, but she stressed not the only part. When she was growing up, she actually was fairly conservative. Growing up with parents she described as “Reagan republicans.” It was only after being exposed to a new environment, after her family moved from Texas to Arizona, that her opinions changed.

Kat learned a lot from her family. She said the most valuable lesson she learned when she was younger was while playing backgammon with her Palestinian grandfather. To her, the strategy and the social component of the game made it a great experience, even though her grandfather apparently cheated frequently. Her favorite Arab recipes are Dolmades and her Grandmother’s secret Baklava recipe.

Kat the Person:

Getting the chance to talk with her exposed me to a side of her that you might not see if you skim her campaign content. As a self-described dork, being anxious watching Marty Supreme, you’d be surprised how resolute she is about helping people. “Every civilian deserves safety, no child should go to bed hungry, war criminals should be held accountable no matter what flag they’re under, and … we need Palestinian statehood.” She is definitely a part of a new generation of politicians. Unwilling to compromise her values, willing to make a change.

Want more articles like this? Sign up for our e-newsletter!

Check out our blog here!