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Indicted Chicago-area progressive MAGA foe falls short in Illinois Democratic U.S. House primary

Kat Abughazaleh, a bisexual former journalist who was charged with obstructing an ICE officer, lost to Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss.

​Kat Abughazaleh and protestors at an anti-ICE demonstration
Kat Abughazaleh; Abughazaleh and another protestor after being tear-gassed in front of an ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois.
Eliana Melmed; Joshua Lott/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Update: Who is Daniel Biss, the Democrat who narrowly beat Gen-Z star Kat Abughazaleh in Illinois

Kat Abughazaleh’s bid for Congress ended Tuesday night after Democratic voters in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District selected another candidate in one of the cycle’s most closely watched open-seat primaries.

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Abughazaleh, a Gen-Z, bisexual former journalist and researcher who has examined right-wing extremism, was defeated by Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, according to Decision Desk HQ, which called the race at 10:39 p.m. EDT. With 84.57 percent of the vote counted, Bliss was leading, earning 29.61 percent. Abughazaleh got 25.61 percent, and Laura Fine received 20.35 percent. None of the nine other candidates gained more than single-digit support.

Her campaign drew national attention for its focus on universal rights and for her legal battle with the Trump administration. In October 2025, the Justice Department indicted Abughazaleh and five others on charges tied to a protest outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in suburban Chicago. Prosecutors alleged the group impeded a federal agent. Abughazaleh has pleaded not guilty, and the case is ongoing, with some charges against co-defendants recently dropped.

Related: How Democratic candidate and influencer Kat Abughazaleh is taking on America's rising far right

Related: Illinois Democratic candidate Kat Abughazaleh calls out DOJ indictment

Related: Progressive Democratic women take the lead in reviving ‘abolish ICE’ messaging

She entered the race with a national following built through her reporting on conservative media and extremist movements. The race was the first open contest in the North Shore-based district in decades following the retirement of longtime Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky.

Biss has a consistent record of supporting LGBTQ+ rights in office, though he has not been a leading figure in the movement, instead positioning himself as a policy-focused progressive aligned with party consensus on equality issues.

Because the district is solidly Democratic, the primary winner is expected to prevail in the general election in November.

This story is developing.

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