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WASHINGTON — “Squad” Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib have thrown their weight behind a 26-year-old lefty influencer to succeed a pioneering veteran Dem congresswoman in Illinois.
The far-left duo is backing insurgent Chicago-area congressional hopeful Kat Abughazaleh to succeed retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who has thrown her support behind the younger woman’s rival in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.
Abughazaleh is known for being indicted for allegedly stymying ICE vehicle movements around a facility in Broadview, Ill., during a September 2025 demonstration.
She also faced controversy earlier this year for sleeping through a virtual meeting, something she blamed on narcolepsy-induced “sleep attacks.”
“Kat Abughazaleh is a young Palestinian woman who represents the kind of fearless, principled leadership our country needs right now,” said Tlaib (D-Mich.), the first Palestinian-American to serve in the House, in a statement.
“She will fight for working people and bring the next generation of leadership to Congress.”
Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, joined Tlaib in endorsing Abughazaleh, 26, ahead of the candidate’s tough primary-race run for the party nod in the 9th Congressional District.
Shortly after Tlaib’s endorsement of the hopeful, Omar began sharing social-media posts in favor of the Gen Z aspirant before making it official.
Abughazaleh said of Omar’s eventual endorsement, “I’m deeply honored and grateful to have the support of Rep. Ilhan Omar, a leader who has never been afraid to put justice, humanity, and the truth ahead of political convenience.
“Her courage has helped blaze the path for so many of us, and I’m proud to stand alongside her in the fight for a more just and compassionate future.”
Abughazaleh was previously endorsed by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Justice Democrats and a coterie of progressive grassroots groups.
She is locked in a tight race against progressive Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss for the Democratic nod.
Biss and Abughazaleh overlap on many issues, such as their support for public healthcare and calls to abolish ICE.
The Evanston mayor, who has generally had a slight edge over Abughazaleh in most recent polls, has touted his experience and track record, while she has highlighted her scrappiness and willingness to fight dirty against Republicans.
Biss is backed by Dem power players such as Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairman Greg Casar (D-Texas), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Schakowsky, who will be leaving Congress after 27 years.
Abughazaleh used to conduct opposition research on conservative media for Media Matters before getting laid off.
Since then, she has remained a popular progressive influencer and activist who has accused Democrats of not fighting hard enough against the Trump administration.
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