Lefty influencer Kat Abughazaleh loses Illinois House primary to Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, who had fling with ex-student

WASHINGTON — Progressive influencer Kat Abughazaleh’s bid for election to Congress failed Tuesday after Democratic primary voters opted for Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss.Biss’ victory came only hours after his campaign confirmed the mayor had a relationship with a former student while working as a professor at the University of Chicago in 2004.Abughazaleh, who formerly worked for left-wing organization Media Matters in conducting opposition research against conservative outlets, was one of 15 Democrats jockeying to succeed retiring Rep.Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) in the Land of Lincoln’s 9th District, which covers parts of Chicago and its northwestern suburbs.The 26-year-old also known as Kat Abu achieved minor online infamy for a series of stunts — including getting herself arrested and charged with conspiracy to impede Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicles during a September 2025 demonstration in Broadview, Ill.She received about 26% of the vote compared to Biss’ 30% support when the Associated Press called the race just after 10:35 p.m.

ET.The feds accused Abughazaleh of scrawling the word “PIG” on an ICE officer’s vehicle, while footage of the confrontation showed an officer throwing her to the ground.Abughazaleh pleaded not guilty and ripped the charge as an “attempt by the Trump administration to criminalize protest and punish those who dare to speak up.”Both Abughazaleh and Biss support abolishing ICE and enacting a single-payer healthcare system.A Palestinian-American, Abughazaleh also attacked her rival for not being hard enough on Israel — even highlighting Biss’ meeting with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee earlier in the campaign.

Biss sought to distinguish himself from Abughazaleh by focusing on his experience as a politician, which included eight years in the Illinois legislature and a failed run for governor in 2018.The race divided Democrats in Washington, with Biss winning the backing of Schakowsky as w...