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Oppo dump!
Monday, Mar 9, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Click here. Lots in there, but, in my opinion, here’s the biggest slam on Kat Abughazaleh’s claim of being “a working class person”…  Ownership history is here. Homestead exemptions are here. * To be clear, there’s nothing at all wrong with having a father who sold his hedge fund administrative services business to Bank of New York Mellon, a mother who owns three mineral rights claims on natural gas wells and a grandfather who was a business associate of the Kuwaiti royal family. And, in all seriousness, good for her for striking out on her own. But working class? C’mon.
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- JS Mill - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 12:51 pm:
Even for a politician, claiming that growing up in a family that owned a hedge fund as “working class” is a huge stretch.
- Tom - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 12:55 pm:
Interesting, they dumped it here and not on TV or digital. Maybe that’s to come. Not the way I would have laid out the attack.
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:02 pm:
Who among us has not moved to a luxury apartment in a high cost of living city while unemployed only to promptly need to move again to run for congress in a congressional district we have never lived in to challenge one of the most progressive members of congress for *checks notes* being too old!
===good for her for striking out on her own. ===
I think she missed an opportunity by failing to portray herself as a class traitor. I understand that it can be awkward to be around people who have known or currently are in poverty or extreme poverty when having grown up in an incredibly wealthy family, but it is okay to be honest about it. The Kennedys did nothing to hide their wealth and they were still accepted as champions. Same with FDR. It is a narrative voters will accept.
Kat will never fail like common people. She’ll never watch her life slide out of view. She will never understand how it feels to live her life with no meaning or control, but sometimes it is easier to sing along with the common people.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:04 pm:
===Not the way I would have laid out the attack. ===
Maybe stick to the topic at hand.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:06 pm:
=== only to promptly need to move again to run for congress===
She didn’t move, as far as I know. She still lives in a wealthy near-downtown neighborhood.
- The Truth - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:10 pm:
Kat will never fail like common people. She’ll never watch her life slide out of view. She will never understand how it feels to live her life with no meaning or control, but sometimes it is easier to sing along with the common people.
I was not expected a perfectly-deployed Pulp reference in here today, but I’m really did you did it.
- Big Tom - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:11 pm:
If I didn’t know better I would think only wealthy people run for political office in Illinois.
===Candy Dogood===keep on rockin!
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:16 pm:
=== She still lives in a wealthy near-downtown neighborhood. ===
After Dan Lipinski I suppose I should just be happy that she lives in the state at all.
Kat really would fit right in here in Illinois politics.
- btowntruth from forgottonia - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:19 pm:
At absolute best it is misleading.
And that is a reach.
Cosplaying like she’s average middle class.
- DuPage Saint - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:23 pm:
I suppose it is what her definition of working class is
Also after seeing that she grew up in Texas with a home like that and a dad a hedge fund guy, it really is not a plot twist to suppose it was a Republican household
- Skokie Man - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:25 pm:
With apologies to John Lennon…
“Working Class Hero” - Updated 9th District Lyrics
[Verse 1]
As soon as you run, draw your house to look small
Don’t mention the maid or the gardener at all
Maybe voters won’t notice you’ve got so much gall
[Refrain]
A working class hero is who you claim to be
A working class hero is who you claim to be
[Verse 2]
6000 square feet, but it had just one pool
Viking six-burner range, to prepare gourmet gruel
Don’t mention you went to a rich private school
[Refrain]
A working class hero is who you claim to be
A working class hero is who you claim to be
[Verse 3]
When they mention you’ve only lived twenty-odd years
Talk about all your struggles and wait for the cheers
Stay mum ’bout your grandad’s Kuwait hoteliers
[Refrain]
A working class hero is who you claim to be
A working class hero is who you claim to be
- Jerry - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:25 pm:
She’s not much different than the working man who resides at 1600 after all those years working in the coal mines. I see “T” and the first thought is Blue Collar. (Sarcasm intentional)
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:31 pm:
She could have tried not lying to everyone. It is very rich person coded to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on consultants and still not comprehend basic truths about human nature. Everybody hates a tourist.
- Frida's Boss - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:39 pm:
The reality that she is a silver spoon kid playing “working class” has been know since the beginning. Wondering what took so long to get it out? Many in the community believe she’s using this platform to increase her future media opportunities. Which she’ll porobably be able to do, at least until the midterms end, if not well beyond.
- Katie - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:41 pm:
As someone who is generally simpatico with her politics & would be willing to vote for her if she had the best chance to beat Fine, I really would prefer to know that the bank account screenshots, framing of moving to Streeterville to take over a media brand as an emergency pick-up-and-go thing, etc. were intentionally misleading and not genuine out-to-lunch rich kid delusion. And as long as we’re playing backseat driver here, this obviously should have been a callout TikTok/Reel!
- Oklahoma - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:45 pm:
I mean, it’s not like she is Kardashian rich. She has to work for her social media likes. Sounds working class to me.
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:48 pm:
===Oklahoma - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:45 pm:===
If she’d just run as a class traitor she wouldn’t need to rely on really bad arguments that really is working class.
A little unrelated, I do like her mail piece. It is a pretty novel approach.
- LizPhairTax - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:51 pm:
Rauner tip: Carhartt Spring Collection is available with 2 day shipping in the event that she can’t get a 9th District Farm and Fleet with her campaign schedule.
- Steve - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:53 pm:
Kat understands that the vanguard of the socialist movement isn’t industrial workers.
- Annon3 - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 1:55 pm:
Meh so tired of this race, the mailers, texts, and we still have a week to go. Not surprised but like the mailer non the less.
- Linus - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:05 pm:
Lennon-Skokie Man might lack the ring of “Lennon-McCartney,” but those are some restaurant quality lyrics (exclamation point)
- Friendly Bob Adams - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:10 pm:
I’m always impressed with how much people on this blog dislike her.
- August West - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:17 pm:
Holy frack!
The “progressives” will split the vote up between Kat, Biss, Hoan, Simmons, and whoever else is on the ballot and give their enemy Laura Fine the winning lane.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:20 pm:
===The “progressives” will split===
The predictions made here by some never cease to amaze me
- jackmac - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:22 pm:
===I’m always impressed with how much people on this blog dislike her.===
Maybe it’s because she was perceived as a carpetbaggig phony from the get-go.
- Alton Sinkhole - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:24 pm:
==I’m always impressed with how much people on this blog dislike her.==
Not even being snarky here, what is there to like? She’s a carpetbagger and cosplay socialist, and a grifter. Chicago politics isn’t short on grifters but we prefer them home grown. She’s a transplant grifter who, if there’s any justice in the world, will lose in 8 days and go take her 21st carnival barker show to some other corner of the country.
- ccapilla - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:29 pm:
Some pretty strong 8 Mile vibes here:
“But I know something about you
You went to Cranbrook, that’s a private school
What’s the matter, dawg? You embarrassed?
This guy’s a gangster? His real name’s Clarence
And Clarence lives at home with both parents
And Clarence’ parents have a real good marriage…”
- Alton Sinkhole - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:29 pm:
I thought Tom’s reply was both on topic and interesting. Why wasn’t this a hit much earlier in the cycle? Feels like it would be effective and would put Kat team on their back foot. Why now? Why in a shabby google doc and not spoon fed to an outside group who can do a splashy ad?
- Iron Duke - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:30 pm:
Kat has all of the necessary background for the job.
She has been and expert at spending other people’s hard earned money her entire life.
- Katie - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:30 pm:
I hope we can all be self aware enough to admit that she might as well have been grown in a lab to turn regular readers of an Illinois politics blog into Frank Grimes
- Responsa - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:36 pm:
I’m sure there’s probably a backstory here I don’t know. But of all the gin joints in all the world why….. I mean, of all the CDs in America why did she choose to walk into IL CD 9?
- Alton Sinkhole - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:36 pm:
Gotta love the underdog story of an out of state carpetbagger, who’s grandparents did oil business with Kuwaiti royalty, who grew up in a 3.2m house and calls herself working-class, who’s married to a millionaire media CEO, who’s also spent more than any other candidate in the race.
A true rags to riches story.
(My eyes roll so far into the back of my head they get stuck)
- Alton Sinkhole - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:41 pm:
Sorry she’s not married to the Media CEO just dating him. In my dislike of her entire schtick I typed too quickly
- Shytown - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:43 pm:
Why it took other oppo teams and CMs in this race so long to call out Kat’s utter bs is a fireable offense. They should have put her on the defense months ago.
- Shytown - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:44 pm:
== I think she missed an opportunity by failing to portray herself as a class traitor. ==
You hit it on the head.
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:45 pm:
===Kat understands that the vanguard of the socialist movement isn’t industrial workers. ===
It’s rich kids lying to poor kids so that the rich kids can still be in charge, right?
Instead of thanking a union, maybe we should be thanking a rich kid, right?
What a terrible take.
===I’m always impressed with how much people on this blog dislike her. ===
Discussions around candidates and politicians on this blog usually doesn’t center around feelings of like or dislike. Rich has linked to the entire opposition research piece along with this article. Whether or not someone likes or supports the candidate does not change the facts that are presented in the opposition research. Part of running a successful campaign can be understanding and anticipating what other campaigns will say about you when you are running. In this instance Kat’s familial wealth is a potential problem for her campaign.
- 48th Ward Heel - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 2:49 pm:
Dan Biss is already in the winning lane. There’s a wide latitude in the polls of how much he’s leading by and who’s closest to catching him, but this is a very progressive district and he’s been endorsed by most of the locals who matter. Heck, Kat might be doing him a favor by giving the anti-progressive horseflies something else to swarm instead of him. Neither Kat or Fine is going to win any new converts at this stage; the only thing Biss should be worried about is the eleventh-hour awareness of Mike Simmons.
- Banish Misfortune - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 3:10 pm:
Not to continue the pile on, but what voters want is authenticity. Our governor is wealthy and doesn’t pretend to he’s not. People mocked Rauner with his Carhartt jackets and dropped “g”.
Abugazehleh is young and probably doesn’t really know who she is yet. She has no record of doing anything for anyone.
She even runs away from her name. Stand up for who you are, if you can’t, how can you stand for me.
- Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 3:31 pm:
I’m not as ready to call this race as 48th Ward Heel. First of all, you need a calculator to tally all the candidates. Nobody knows how it shakes out with some progressive votes hither and moderate votes going thither. And whose voters will actually turn out? Are Biss voters passionate and driven to vote by their candidate’s incandescent charm? This is anybody’s ball game.
- thisjustinagain - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 3:35 pm:
She grew up in poverty; that is, she drove the family’s 3rd-most expensive car to high school, right?
- Casper the Ghost Bus - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 3:51 pm:
Never fear, the Bears will pick her up as a consultant.
- Lincoln Lad - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 3:58 pm:
This won’t be the last time we see her… she’ll be back.
- Skokie Man - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 3:59 pm:
=== I hope we can all be self aware enough to admit that she might as well have been grown in a lab to turn regular readers of an Illinois politics blog into Frank Grimes ===
I just choked on my coffee.
- NIU Grad - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 4:05 pm:
“Why now?”
Probably they were waiting for the right opportunity, like her saying she was from a working class background and literally putting a fake picture of her childhood home on a mailer? Outside of that, it would just be criticizing that she grew up with means.
- Paddy Bauler - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 4:09 pm:
=the eleventh-hour awareness of Mike Simmons=
Will he even get 10% of the vote?
- Ricky Ledee - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 4:29 pm:
Did not expect to come find a Pulp reference here today, but so glad I did. A+ to The Truth for that one.
- Steve - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 5:43 pm:
-What a terrible take.-
The origins of the revolutionary faith doesn’t seem to be factory workers.
https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Minds-Men-Origins-Revolutionary/dp/0765804719
- West Side the Best Side - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 8:01 pm:
Dan Lipinski was originally from the old neighborhood at least, not really a carpetbagger, just a guy coming back home to inherit his father’s seat. Kat’s not from here and doesn’t even live in the district. (I’m from the former Lipinski district, not up north.) “We don’t want nobody nobody sent.”
- NorthSideNoMore - Monday, Mar 9, 26 @ 9:27 pm:
What West Side said. Adding, windy city politics are blood sport not a fun game for a maybe semi wealthy ? social influencer with no ties to the Chi.
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, Mar 10, 26 @ 12:46 am:
===The origins of the revolutionary faith===
I don’t come to Capitol Fax for debates about the history of communist/socialist philosophy. And it’s great for you to share a link to a Reagan appointee’s book that was written five decades ago without access to the Soviet archives, but if you’re really wanting to be convincing you could take some effort to provide a link to a free scholarly article. Even then, I’m not sure how you can structure an argument that isn’t going to resemble cherry picking and the reality that for most of human history an education was something that only rich kids got and sometimes folks who became members of established religious orders.
But getting all of that out there — this is still a terrible take.
I should vote for person who grew up in a wealthy household because she pretends to be poor and just accept that the her lack of credibility or honesty is because she’s the “vanguard of a socialist movement?” That’s a terrible take. That’s a terrible argument. Even if it were compelling, it doesn’t exclude Daniel Biss, the Harvard educated MIT PhD who has the decency not lie to supporters about being poor.
Kat’s opportunities only exist because her parents are rich. She didn’t need to run as an astroturfed version of AOC. She turns 27 this month and is politically inexperienced. Young folks make mistakes, but her instinct in this matter seems to be mislead the public.
You can argue that she’s misleading the public for their own good or whatever you want, but I can still believe that’s a terrible take that shows a significant amount of contempt for the working class.
- Cole - Tuesday, Mar 10, 26 @ 8:51 am:
= the eleventh-hour awareness of Mike Simmons=
I love Simmons but I don’t see how he pulls off a last minute surge this late and with as little cash as he has on hand.
- Chiguy - Tuesday, Mar 10, 26 @ 11:18 am:
To JS Mill, if you read the post it says her dad sold “hedge fund administrative services.” He did not own a hedge fund; he was a service provider contracted by hedge fund owners.