Gen Z Creator Kat Abughazaleh Runs for Congress After Musk Feud

Kat Abughazaleh Announces Congressional Campaign

Last year, Kat Abughazaleh experienced a job loss from her position as an extremism researcher and video producer at Media Matters. Notably, Elon Musk publicly commented on X, expressing satisfaction with her situation.

Musk stated, “Karma is real.”

However, Abughazaleh addressed this directly in a campaign video released on Monday. She affirmed her willingness to challenge Musk, particularly given his increasing influence within the federal government.

Focus on Illinois’ Ninth District

The 26-year-old candidate is targeting Illinois’ Ninth District. The current representative, Jan Schakowsky, a Democrat, has served in Congress since before Abughazaleh’s birth – having been first elected over 80 years ago.

“I possess both innovative ideas and a substantial presence on social media,” Abughazaleh explained to TechCrunch on Monday. “I believe in proactive engagement and felt compelled to act rather than waiting for others.”

From Media Matters to Independent Creator

Abughazaleh initially gained recognition through her work at Media Matters. There, she became known for creating videos that analyzed the language and inaccuracies present in Fox News broadcasts.

A lawsuit filed by Musk against Media Matters, concerning an article about advertisements appearing alongside pro-Nazi content on X, resulted in significant legal expenses. This ultimately led to layoffs, affecting Abughazaleh and twelve colleagues.

Now operating as an independent social media creator, she has cultivated a following exceeding half a million across various platforms. Her largest audience resides on TikTok, where she has 222,000 followers.

Campaign Platform

“Affordability of essential needs – housing, groceries, and healthcare – with disposable income should be a standard,” she declared in her campaign announcement.

She advocates for policies including universal free childcare, expansion of Social Security, and the protection of inalienable rights, irrespective of the current administration.

Relating to a Wider Audience

Abughazaleh initially didn’t anticipate her experiences with Musk resonating with the general public.

However, over 30,000 federal employees have since faced job losses, a situation mirroring her own, attributed to actions initiated by the billionaire.

“Many in journalism, particularly those covering disinformation, have been experiencing a preview of the tactics employed by both Trump and Musk against the nation,” she stated to TechCrunch.

“We foresaw these developments… While we are disheartened to be proven correct, it equips us with the necessary tools to resist and understand the unfolding events.”

She believes this prior experience provides valuable insight into how to effectively counter these challenges.

A Social Media Star Enters the Political Arena

Traditionally, younger demographics have tended towards liberal viewpoints, however, recent elections revealed a shift towards more conservative leanings among Gen Z voters. Abughazaleh attributes this change to insufficient engagement efforts by the Democratic party.

“The primary challenge for Democrats, in my view, lies in their digital approach, and individuals like myself, along with younger generations, possess a more comprehensive understanding of the internet,” she explained. “It’s an environment we’ve all grown up within.”

Some observers might perceive her age as a potential drawback, given her extensive online history. However, Abughazaleh remains unconcerned. She responded to one such critic on X, stating, “I trust you’ll find enjoyment in my middle school blog dedicated to One Direction and photos of my feline companion.”

In the current political climate, exemplified by President Trump – who actively utilizes a social media platform for frequent posts – displaying personality online is becoming increasingly accepted.

“Considering the current president regularly shares his immediate thoughts online, I believe it’s perfectly acceptable to maintain an online presence dating back to age 13,” she stated.

Due to her prior interactions with Elon Musk, she does not intend to prioritize X within her overall digital strategy. Abughazaleh is instead focusing her efforts on Bluesky, where she currently has approximately 154,000 followers.

For instance, on Monday, she exclusively announced her campaign on Bluesky for a period of ninety minutes before disseminating the information across other platforms.

“I am particularly drawn to Bluesky’s policies regarding various issues,” she noted. “They are actively increasing their moderation team, while many other platforms are either reducing moderation efforts or dismissing moderators.”

Meta, for example, revised its content moderation guidelines in January, discontinuing its collaboration with third-party fact-checking organizations.

Bluesky’s user base has expanded to exceed 33 million, and former President Barack Obama recently joined the platform. Nevertheless, its user population remains smaller compared to established social media networks like Instagram or X.

Despite this, Abughazaleh’s strategy has already yielded positive results. Within the first seven hours of her campaign launch, she secured $100,000 in donations, with an average contribution amount of $45.

“To date, Bluesky has generated the highest volume of donations via social media, surpassing all other platforms,” Abughazaleh shared with TechCrunch.

Abughazaleh also expresses enthusiasm for the open-source nature of Bluesky. She aims to reflect this transparency on her YouTube channel, where she intends to publish videos documenting her campaign journey.

“I am striving for complete transparency regarding the process of running for office, as it often appears more complex than it needs to be,” she explained.

Even if she is unsuccessful in securing a congressional seat, she hopes her candidness will encourage other Gen Z individuals to pursue political careers.

“Should this campaign prove successful, I would become the youngest woman ever elected to Congress,” she said. “However, I would also welcome the emergence of even younger candidates.”