Career Timeline of Kat Abughazaleh: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Kat Abughazaleh, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Kat Abughazaleh, also known as Kat Abu, is an American journalist, social media influencer, and political commentator. She gained recognition for her criticism of Tucker Carlson while working at Media Matters for America. Her writing has appeared in publications like Mother Jones and The New Republic. A progressive Democrat, she is running for United States House of Representatives in Illinois's 9th congressional district in 2026.

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Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

January 2023: Starts TikTok account

In January 2023, Kat Abughazaleh started a TikTok account, where she covered Tucker Carlson and his show.

May 2024: Recognition as Political Influencer and Layoff from Media Matters

In May 2024, Kat Abughazaleh was named on a list of "25 Political Influencers to Watch in 2024" by The New Republic. Also that month, she and 11 colleagues were laid off from Media Matters following a lawsuit by Elon Musk.

July 2024: Increase in Social Media Following and Joining Zeteo

By July 2024, Kat Abughazaleh had nearly 500,000 social media followers across TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram. She also joined the media outlet Zeteo to produce videos countering right-wing narratives.

July 24, 2024: Hired by Mother Jones

On July 24, 2024, Mother Jones announced that they hired Kat Abughazaleh as a video creator.

August 2024: Coverage of the Democratic National Convention

In August 2024, Kat Abughazaleh was invited by the Democratic National Convention as a content creator to cover the convention. While at the DNC, she participated in an Uncommitted sit-in and interviewed Ro Khanna about the Democrats' Middle East policy. She expressed being "shocked" and "appalled" at the lack of attention to Gaza and Palestinian concerns in Kamala Harris's speech.

September 2024: TikTok Prominence and Analysis of Election Results

In September 2024, Politico highlighted Kat Abughazaleh's prominence on TikTok, predicting her account would play "an outsized role" in the presidential race. Following the election, she wrote for The New Republic advocating for new blood and radical change within the Democratic Party.

March 24, 2025: Announcement of Candidacy for Illinois's 9th Congressional District

On March 24, 2025, Kat Abughazaleh announced her candidacy in the Democratic primary election for Illinois's 9th congressional district seat, currently held by Jan Schakowsky.

May 2025: Potential Historic Election to Congress

As of May 2025, if elected, Kat Abughazaleh would be the youngest woman, the first Gen Z woman, and the second Palestinian-American woman ever elected to Congress.

2025: Nomination for Webby Award

In 2025, Kat Abughazaleh was nominated for a Webby Award in the "News & Politics: Creators" category for her coverage of the far right.

2025: Campaign Contributions and Potential Primary Challenger

In 2025, Kat Abughazaleh's campaign received over $378,000 in the first week, with no PAC contributions. Her campaign outraised Schakowsky's in the first quarter. In mid-April, David Abrevaya considered running in the primary as well.

December 31, 2025: Campaign Fundraising Lead

Campaign finance filings up through December 31, 2025, show Kat Abughazaleh leading in fundraising with $2.7 million raised.

2026: Candidacy for US House of Representatives

In 2026, Kat Abughazaleh is a candidate for the United States House of Representatives election in Illinois's 9th congressional district, as a progressive Democrat.

2026: Schakowsky's Retirement Announcement and Subsequent Candidate Declarations

In early May 2026, Jan Schakowsky announced her retirement at the conclusion of her term. State Senator Laura Fine and Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss announced candidacies for the district. The field totaled twelve candidates by mid-July.