Influencer Announces Run For Congress After Revealing She Was Questioned By Elon Musk's Lawyers: 'I'm Not Scared'

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An influencer and activist announced her candidacy for Congress, citing the need for younger, more relatable leadership while revealing she was recently questioned by Elon Musk's lawyers.

Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old known for her sharp political commentary and investigative work on right-wing media, has long been a critic of figures like President Donald Trump and Musk.

While announcing her campaign to run for Illinois' 9th Congressional District on YouTube, Abughazaleh took aim at Democratic leadership for being too timid in confronting Trump and Musk. She argued that Congress is dominated by out-of-touch millionaires and career politicians who fail to understand the economic struggles faced by ordinary Americans.

Abughazaleh also revealed that she had faced legal scrutiny from Musk's team over her social media criticism, but used the deposition as evidence that she is already on the radar of powerful figures, emphasizing that she has no fear.

"And while current Democratic leadership might be fine cowering to Trump, I'm not. I've spent my entire career reporting on the far-right, and being attacked by them as a result. In fact, just a few months ago, Elon Musk's lawyers deposed me here in Chicago to ask about my Mean Tweets," Abughazaleh said.

"This is all to say, I'm not scared of standing up to these people. I know how they think and I know how to beat them," she continued.

In the announcement, Abughazaleh positioned herself as a candidate who truly understands the struggles of working-class Americans. She highlighted her personal challenges—being a renter, lacking health insurance and experiencing financial instability—as a stark contrast to the wealth and privilege of many current lawmakers.

Abughazaleh's campaign is expected to gain traction among younger, progressive voters frustrated with establishment Democrats. However, she will face a significant challenge in unseating longtime Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who has held the IL-09 seat since 1999.