Opponents question Kat Abughazaleh’s history as Congressional primary arrives

Kat Abughazaleh is one of more than a dozen candidates vying for the Democratic nomination in the 9^th Congressional district, but there are some opponents questioning whether her personal story and persona are genuine.

At question is the Abughazaleh’s characterization of her upbringing as working class, including an anime-inspired campaign mailer that showed her childhood home as a modest dwelling.

Her opponents have pointed out that the home was actually a $3.2 million residence, and are questioning her arguments that her upbringing was working class.

Abughazaleh’s campaign does not dispute the revelation, but the candidate herself points to her platform and to her current circumstances as proof she can identify with constituents she hopes to represent.

“This is something I think is being treated like some type of shocker, but I was given a lot of opportunities as a kid,” she said. “I was really lucky to have that, and I also as an adult have struggled like so many of my friends have.”

When asked by NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern if she considered herself “poor,” she was emphatic.

“Am I poor? Right now, yeah,” she said. “I have depleted my savings. I have been financially independent since I was 21.”

Abughazaleh has launched headlong into the 9^th district race, running hard on a platform full of progressive ideals, including increasing taxes on millionaires, a universal single-payer healthcare system, affordable housing programs, increasing reproductive rights and addressing systemic racism among many other proposals.

To get that message out, the candidate has embarked on a wide variety of initiatives, including turning her campaign office into a hub for mutual aid that provides toiletries, hygiene products, diapers, food, books and more, according to her website.

She also has used the power to social media to her full advantage, including running Twitch streams with numerous figures popular with younger voters, including Brennan Lee Mulligan, Matthew Mercer, Ilana Glazer and others.

That campaign to attract young voters could be critical in a district with so many students, but will young voters turn out for her?

“We’ll see if she can actually make this campaign one that we can look at and say ‘wow, the young vote really came out,’” Northwestern professor Jaime Dominguez said.

Dominguez largely dismissed the controversy over Abughazaleh’s childhood home, saying her campaign’s pledges and whether she can live up to them are more important.

“People are not gonna vote for you just because they think you’re poor or not,” he said. “It’s really gonna be about what have you done? What issues are you articulating? And how are you going to execute?”

For her part, Abughazaleh says her campaign is about increasing the diversity of voices in Washington, and that’s why she’s run the campaign with the priorities she’s identified.

“I don’t think Congress should just be 26 year old extremist researchers or journalists,” she said. “I think we also need teachers and labor leaders and scientists and public health officials.”