A political commentator with a significant TikTok following is looking to unseat a Congresswoman who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives for more than two decades. Kat Abughazaleh is hoping to turn out young people and disenchanted liberals in Illinois’ ninth congressional district, where she is mounting a Democratic primary challenge against Jan Schakowsky.
Abughazaleh’s political takes and parodies of the American right have brought more than 200,000 followers to her TikTok account. She used that platform to announce her Congressional run by uploading a video that lays out her progressive platform. “Unfortunately this party has become one where you have to look to the exceptions for real leadership, as the majority work from an outdated playbook,” she said. “We need a makeover, which means we need a vision that is bigger than what we’ve been told is possible.”
@katmabu oh hey I’m back #fyp #foryoupage #news #politics #america #trump #elonmusk #tesla #doge #democrats #democrat #woketok #janschakowsky #chicago #chicagotiktok #evanston #illinois #domore ♬ original sound – Kat Abughazaleh
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As an influencer, Abughazaleh can connect with TikTok’s left-leaning community, which includes many voters who feel as if mainstream politicians are minimizing their concerns. That outsider spirit has already propelled some office-seeking creators outside of the U.S. In Cyprus, prankster Fidias Panayiotou shocked Europe when he was elected as a Member of Parliament last year. Panayiotou’s desire to stick it to the “nerds” in Brussels helped propel him to victory.
American creators who have attempted to bring that anti-establishment strain to local elections have not fared as well. Firearms enthusiast Brandon Herrera attempted to primary a Texas Republican last year, but his effort fell short.
There aren’t any creators in Congress yet (unless you count Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez), but influencers saw their political capital rise dramatically during the 2024 election cycle. Their lobbying power increased, they became crucial mouthpieces for candidates, and they gained more access to the White House after the re-election of President Trump.
Abughazaleh is positioned to ride that wave, though multiple challenges stand in her way. She is a relative newcomer to Illinois, having grown up in Texas as the daughter of two conservatives. Her opponent is a prominent member of Congress who has a long record of voting alongside liberals. Abughazaleh is also forgoing corporate donations, making her reliant on contributions from ordinary folks.
Despite the hurdles she must jump, Abughazaleh’s Congressional run is well-timed. Politicians are spreading their messages by becoming TikTokers, with democratic socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani serving as one of the more notable examples of that trend. If politicians can get on TikTok, why can’t a TikToker become a politician?
“We are in an emergency,” Abughazaleh said. “Right now, the answer to authoritarianism isn’t to be quiet. It’s not matching pink outfits at a state address. It’s not throwing trans people under the bus. It’s not refusing to look at the party at all and see where it could be better. The answer is to very publicly, very loudly, very boldly, stand up. The only way to fight fascism, and this has been proven over and over and over again, is loudly, proudly, and every single day.”
TikTok’s potential to upend traditional political narratives is one reason why the establishment is so afraid of it. Consider, for example, that Mark Warner — one of the architects of the U.S. TikTok ban — admitted that the law was only passed to smother the alleged anti-Semitism that came with social media critiques of Israel’s war in Gaza.
More recently, socialist writer Carlos Martinez argued that TikTok’s power lies in its ability to upset American cultural hegemony. “Throughout the Western world, people are learning to question and reject the crass propaganda pumped out by the mainstream media’s State Department stenographers in relation to Palestine, China, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Iran, the DPRK and more,” Martinez wrote. “This is an entirely welcome development.”
If Abughazaleh can parlay her social media momentum into a Congressional seat, it will be a sign that TikTok’s ability to upend establishment orthodoxy is becoming a serious political force. We’ll have to wait until 2026 to learn if Abughazaleh is able to realize her dream.
