That must be some sort of record for breaking a campaign promise.
- Remember the Alamo II - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 9:21 am:
=== Jan needs to retire so other serious candidates can hop in and prevent this Kat person from being on my screen for the next year. ===
How would Rep. Schakowsky retiring prevent you from being on your screen for the next year? You think she would mysteriously disappear if the Rep retired?
and when you go to her website the first thing that happens is a popup asking for $$. It looks just like any other candidates site. She has good multimedia journalism skills, but the spam text kills that whole candidate persona she’s trying to create.
This is going to be a losing campaign unless her goal is left wing media.
She will not set foot in a candidates forum in one Jewish institution either - mark my words.
Honestly. The point is, don’t say you’re not going to do something and then turn around and do it anyway. Most politicians at least wait until they’re in office before breaking campaign promises.
===I was hoping that at age 80, Jan would step aside for a new generation of leadership, like so many Dems of her generation need to do.===
Absolutely this! I stopped voting for 80 year olds last cycle or anyone who will be 80 in their new term. I didn’t vote for Jan (undervoted that race, couldn’t bring myself to vote R) and will do the same this time (Ahem, Durbin and Preckwinkle).
I think Jan’s done a great job, but at 80 it’s past time to pass the torch. Other qualified Dems need to run. The gerontocracy is not ready for this moment in American politics. We need skilled communicators who can connect with voters on all platforms and work tirelessly to win and govern.
== Can’t tell for sure, but it looks like that pic was taken in Streeterville. Maybe an Evanston coffee shop would be a better spot for a photo shoot? ==
That building she’s leaning on is the Evanston Library, and the photo looks south along Orrington St.
I think I exhausted all of my takes on Kat Abucarpetbagger.
Given how edited and scripted her announcement was, it would seem like they decided to bury that Kat is running on two issues. The age of the incumbent and an anti-Israeli government position.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 10:40 am:
I can’t fathom the intense negativity toward this candidate. She’s an amateur and has zero chance of being elected.
But she’s spot on regarding consultants that haven’t won an election in this century.
Echoing the thought that her message isn’t going to resonate in the North Shore. She would have been better off carpetbagging in the western burbs, but she’s not going to knock off Reps. Casten nor Krishnamoorthi.
what TNR wrote. up top with the Palestinian message also seems a way to start something hot. creating chaos and anger is one thing that too many are doing now for not good purposes.
@ Amelia because she’s fundamentally not running to win. She’s running to get her and her friends paid + keep her name in news.
It’s a new age twist on an old grift
- Just Another Anon - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 11:21 am:
@ Save Ferris
Thanks for running the numbers for me. I did a little more demographic digging because I’m curious. I thought IL-9 was going to be the top IL district for Jewish voters by population. Turns out the 10th edges it out by about 500 voters. That said, its population of democratic Jewish voters is almost 2/3rds vs 60% in the 10th. H/t to the Jewish Electorate Institute’s 2024 survey for the breakdown.
To the post. Don’t see how this messaging is reaching a significant portion of the district in a positive fashion.
===In a divided Democratic party primary: Kat might win assuming===
A more likely outcome is in a Democratic Primary with 3 or more candidates is that Kat Abucarpetbagger will draw votes away from another progressive candidate and create a situation where by splitting the support of progressive or more left leaning Democrats one of the most progressive members of congress could be replaced by a moderate Democrat or centrist. But hey — maybe that’s the goal.
But I have a hunch Kat didn’t bother consulting any progressive activists or anyone living in the 9th congressional district before deciding to run there.
Isn’t this district one of the most politically engaged in the state? I find it very hard to believe that a candidate with no local experience has any chance against a known commodity. Especially because they are very likely to share the same stance on most issues.
=== she’s spot on regarding consultants that haven’t won an election in this century. ===
Just for the record, Jan’s consultants have won in this century.
Repeatedly.
But this is not a Congressional issue, this is a DNC/DCCC issue.
Kat appears to be running for the DNC, and not for Congress.
=== A more likely outcome is in a Democratic Primary with 3 or more candidates is that Kat Abucarpetbagger will draw votes away from another progressive candidate and create a situation where by splitting the support of progressive or more left leaning Democrats ===
Candy nails it.
In a three-way race between Fine, Biss and Kat, Abu-Ghazelah’s candidacy definitely hurts Biss, and it makes it tempting for someone from the west end of the district to jump in.
She’s winning, not the election but in her main goal of being a content creator and influencer.
Her “job” is to create buzz and clicks, which she monetizes.
Two days ago, some people knew her, but now she has gotten two full posts with the most interaction from the commenters on both days, from the most popular platform for Springfield politics, the 6th largest state in the country.
I don’t know your member numbers, Rich, nor would I expect you to tell, but if, say, half your readers are engaged and are now following her due to these pieces, she has received more earned media from this blog than anywhere else in her influencer career.
Well done Kat this will translate to individual monetizing or a future in the DNC influencer market. They just let Harry Sisson go, you could replace him?
- Dog - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 9:08 am:
That didn’t take long…
- HarveyGuy - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 9:13 am:
How else should a newcomer play the game? Campaigns aren’t cheap
- Alton Sinkhole - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 9:19 am:
Jan needs to retire so other serious candidates can hop in and prevent this Kat person from being on my screen for the next year.
- Thomas Paine - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 9:20 am:
That must be some sort of record for breaking a campaign promise.
- Remember the Alamo II - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 9:21 am:
=== Jan needs to retire so other serious candidates can hop in and prevent this Kat person from being on my screen for the next year. ===
How would Rep. Schakowsky retiring prevent you from being on your screen for the next year? You think she would mysteriously disappear if the Rep retired?
- yepp - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 9:22 am:
and when you go to her website the first thing that happens is a popup asking for $$. It looks just like any other candidates site. She has good multimedia journalism skills, but the spam text kills that whole candidate persona she’s trying to create.
- Capcitynewt - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 9:23 am:
That must be some sort of record for breaking a campaign promise.
Not so sure. I will veto unfair maps comes to mind.
- Dirty Red - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 9:24 am:
Six paragraph text message? Oof.
- TNR - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 9:25 am:
I was hoping that at age 80, Jan would step aside for a new generation of leadership, like so many Dems of her generation need to do.
Now I want her to run a “last hurrah” campaign to specifically beat this carpetbagger, and beat her bad.
- Alton Sinkhole - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 9:27 am:
==but the spam text kills that whole candidate persona she’s trying to create.==
Her group of terminally-online supporters won’t care. I bet that text raised over 10k, at least.
Does it mean she’ll win? Nope. Does it mean she’ll keep her name in the news while paying herself and her friends for the next year and a half? Yep.
- Telly - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 9:36 am:
Can’t tell for sure, but it looks like that pic was taken in Streeterville. Maybe an Evanston coffee shop would be a better spot for a photo shoot?
- Save Ferris - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 9:45 am:
IL-9 is 12.2% Jewish, the bulk of whom vote D. No chance she gets a win with this style.
- Blue Dog - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 9:48 am:
Dems need to resist the temptation to go ultra left. IMO that’s what has gotten them in trouble.
- Change Agent - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 9:48 am:
I received the spam text twice.
- Matty - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 9:55 am:
Well at least she ventured into the 9th District to take a photo for this spam text (Evanston Public Library)…
- ;) - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 10:01 am:
Well that girl makes me root for Jan.
- Arlington Heights Bears - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 10:01 am:
This is going to be a losing campaign unless her goal is left wing media.
She will not set foot in a candidates forum in one Jewish institution either - mark my words.
- Steve - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 10:10 am:
When Kat talks about not taking “corporate ” money she doesn’t mean union money: unions are corporations.
- Cubs in '16 - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 10:11 am:
===How else should a newcomer play the game?===
Honestly. The point is, don’t say you’re not going to do something and then turn around and do it anyway. Most politicians at least wait until they’re in office before breaking campaign promises.
- Edgewater - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 10:25 am:
===I was hoping that at age 80, Jan would step aside for a new generation of leadership, like so many Dems of her generation need to do.===
Absolutely this! I stopped voting for 80 year olds last cycle or anyone who will be 80 in their new term. I didn’t vote for Jan (undervoted that race, couldn’t bring myself to vote R) and will do the same this time (Ahem, Durbin and Preckwinkle).
I think Jan’s done a great job, but at 80 it’s past time to pass the torch. Other qualified Dems need to run. The gerontocracy is not ready for this moment in American politics. We need skilled communicators who can connect with voters on all platforms and work tirelessly to win and govern.
- Northsider - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 10:34 am:
== Can’t tell for sure, but it looks like that pic was taken in Streeterville. Maybe an Evanston coffee shop would be a better spot for a photo shoot? ==
That building she’s leaning on is the Evanston Library, and the photo looks south along Orrington St.
- That Guy - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 10:38 am:
=Dems need to resist the temptation to go ultra left. IMO that’s what has gotten them in trouble.=
My eyes have never rolled so hard.
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 10:39 am:
I think I exhausted all of my takes on Kat Abucarpetbagger.
Given how edited and scripted her announcement was, it would seem like they decided to bury that Kat is running on two issues. The age of the incumbent and an anti-Israeli government position.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 10:40 am:
I can’t fathom the intense negativity toward this candidate. She’s an amateur and has zero chance of being elected.
But she’s spot on regarding consultants that haven’t won an election in this century.
- ChrisB - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 10:45 am:
Echoing the thought that her message isn’t going to resonate in the North Shore. She would have been better off carpetbagging in the western burbs, but she’s not going to knock off Reps. Casten nor Krishnamoorthi.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 10:49 am:
Being paid to watch Fox News is a tenuous position at best. Can’t imagine that’s a healthy lifestyle either. Be thankful you were set free.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 10:51 am:
what TNR wrote. up top with the Palestinian message also seems a way to start something hot. creating chaos and anger is one thing that too many are doing now for not good purposes.
- Beep booop - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 10:59 am:
@ Amelia because she’s fundamentally not running to win. She’s running to get her and her friends paid + keep her name in news.
It’s a new age twist on an old grift
- Just Another Anon - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 11:21 am:
@ Save Ferris
Thanks for running the numbers for me. I did a little more demographic digging because I’m curious. I thought IL-9 was going to be the top IL district for Jewish voters by population. Turns out the 10th edges it out by about 500 voters. That said, its population of democratic Jewish voters is almost 2/3rds vs 60% in the 10th. H/t to the Jewish Electorate Institute’s 2024 survey for the breakdown.
To the post. Don’t see how this messaging is reaching a significant portion of the district in a positive fashion.
- Steve - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 11:26 am:
In a divided Democratic party primary: Kat might win assuming Jan’s not in the race.
- So_Ill - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 11:30 am:
I’m already sick of her.
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 12:22 pm:
===In a divided Democratic party primary: Kat might win assuming===
A more likely outcome is in a Democratic Primary with 3 or more candidates is that Kat Abucarpetbagger will draw votes away from another progressive candidate and create a situation where by splitting the support of progressive or more left leaning Democrats one of the most progressive members of congress could be replaced by a moderate Democrat or centrist. But hey — maybe that’s the goal.
But I have a hunch Kat didn’t bother consulting any progressive activists or anyone living in the 9th congressional district before deciding to run there.
- Sox Fan - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 1:00 pm:
Isn’t this district one of the most politically engaged in the state? I find it very hard to believe that a candidate with no local experience has any chance against a known commodity. Especially because they are very likely to share the same stance on most issues.
- Thomas Paine - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 2:20 pm:
=== she’s spot on regarding consultants that haven’t won an election in this century. ===
Just for the record, Jan’s consultants have won in this century.
Repeatedly.
But this is not a Congressional issue, this is a DNC/DCCC issue.
Kat appears to be running for the DNC, and not for Congress.
=== A more likely outcome is in a Democratic Primary with 3 or more candidates is that Kat Abucarpetbagger will draw votes away from another progressive candidate and create a situation where by splitting the support of progressive or more left leaning Democrats ===
Candy nails it.
In a three-way race between Fine, Biss and Kat, Abu-Ghazelah’s candidacy definitely hurts Biss, and it makes it tempting for someone from the west end of the district to jump in.
- Frida's Boss - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 2:33 pm:
She’s winning, not the election but in her main goal of being a content creator and influencer.
Her “job” is to create buzz and clicks, which she monetizes.
Two days ago, some people knew her, but now she has gotten two full posts with the most interaction from the commenters on both days, from the most popular platform for Springfield politics, the 6th largest state in the country.
I don’t know your member numbers, Rich, nor would I expect you to tell, but if, say, half your readers are engaged and are now following her due to these pieces, she has received more earned media from this blog than anywhere else in her influencer career.
Well done Kat this will translate to individual monetizing or a future in the DNC influencer market. They just let Harry Sisson go, you could replace him?
- low level - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 2:48 pm:
She wont take PAC money. Well, isnt that convenient given that no PACs would bother giving to her.
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 3:54 pm:
===she has received more earned media from this blog than anywhere else in her influencer career.===
You heard it here, Rich. You’re bigger than Rollingstone.
Happy Birthday.
- JoeMaddon - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 6:48 pm:
=== she’s spot on regarding consultants that haven’t won an election in this century. ===
It appears that Bill Hyers (he of Pat Quinn 2014 fame) is working for her.
- 2 The Post - Wednesday, Mar 26, 25 @ 7:58 pm:
How will this effect Biss and Gabel if Jan bows out and they run?