Schakowsky’s leaving Congress; but Kat is wrong for this district

Sunrise over Granville Ave. at the lake. Photo: Gerald Farinas.

Today, we learned that Rep. Jan Schakowsky is preparing a much expected exit.

She has served Illinois’s Ninth Congressional District with unwavering progressive commitment since 1999.

Her legacy is long, honorable, and worthy of gratitude.

But as with all chapters, even the best ones must come to a close.

While there has been clamor for a new generation to step forward, not all candidates are created equal, and one rising name in the conversation—Kat Abughazaleh—is not the right choice to carry on the Ninth’s complex legacy.

Abughazaleh, a social media-savvy progressive and known figure in liberal online circles, has earned national attention for her ability to take on the likes of Fox News and right-wing disinformation on platforms like TikTok.

Her politics are broadly aligned with Democratic ideals: equity, climate action, labor rights, and justice.

But good hashtags and video reels do not make one qualified to represent one of the most socially complex, racially diverse, and economically layered districts in the country.

Let’s be clear: she hasn’t even lived in Illinois for more than two years.

She doesn’t live in the Ninth District.

That’s not just an inconvenient fact—it’s disqualifying. Carpetbagging, no matter how well-packaged, remains carpetbagging.

The Ninth deserves better than a parachuted campaign from someone whose connection to our neighborhoods is thinner than a Metra ticket stub.

This isn’t just about politics—it’s about place.

The Ninth Congressional District is not a monolith, nor is it a TikTok trend to be mastered with clever editing. It’s a living, breathing tapestry of cities, cultures, histories, and hopes—each with its own story.

Does Abughazaleh understand the historical nuances that shape Black and Brown communities in places like Rogers Park, West Ridge, or Skokie?

Does she know the intersectional challenges LGBTQ folks face in Edgewater versus Northbrook?

The difference between Evanston’s activist spirit and Morton Grove’s suburban pragmatism?

What about the enduring legacy of immigrant labor in Lincolnwood or the unique cultural balance of places like Niles?

These are not things one can Google.

These are lived experiences, understood over time, by those who’ve raised families here, marched in our parades, mourned our losses, sat in our churches, and protested in our streets.

It takes decades to earn that kind of understanding—and the district is filled with people who have.

The next representative of IL-9 shouldn’t be someone auditioning for national attention.

It should be someone who has walked these blocks long before the cameras were rolling.

Someone who’s been in our schools, volunteered in our pantries, advocated in our community boards—not just someone who’s trending on political TikTok.

We’re not gatekeeping progressivism.

We’re gatekeeping accountability, authenticity, and deep, grounded leadership.

We need someone rooted in the Ninth—not just someone rooting for likes.

Jan Schakowsky has earned her rest. But let’s make sure we choose her successor wisely.

The Ninth District deserves someone who doesn’t just say they know us—they need to be one of us.

And I’m asking them to step up now.