Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old social media creator, has announced her campaign for Congress, citing her experience with Elon Musk's influence and her desire for progressive change. Abughazaleh, who was laid off from her job as an extremism researcher and video producer at Media Matters last year, has built a significant online following across platforms, with over half a million followers.

Abughazaleh's decision to run for Congress comes after Elon Musk personally celebrated her layoff on X, saying "Karma is real." However, Abughazaleh is not intimidated, and instead, sees her experience as a catalyst for change. She is running for Illinois' Ninth District, currently represented by 80-year-old Democrat Jan Schakowsky, who was first elected to Congress before Abughazaleh was born.

Abughazaleh's campaign focuses on progressive issues, including affordable housing, free childcare, and expanded Social Security. She believes that her online presence and understanding of the internet can help Democrats better connect with younger voters. "I think the big problem Democrats have is their digital strategy, and people like me and people that are younger have a better understanding [of the internet]," she said.

Despite her young age, Abughazaleh is confident in her ability to make a difference. She is prioritizing Bluesky, a social media platform, in her digital strategy, citing its policies on moderation and open-source nature. In the first seven hours of her campaign, she raised $100,000 with an average contribution of $45, with the majority of donations coming from Bluesky.

Abughazaleh's campaign is not just about winning a seat in Congress; it's also about inspiring other Gen Z candidates to run. "If this campaign goes as planned, I would be the youngest woman elected to Congress," she said. "But I think it would be cool if we had another candidate that came in and was even younger than me."

As Abughazaleh navigates the complex world of politics, she remains committed to transparency and openness. She plans to share videos documenting her campaign experience on her YouTube channel, hoping to demystify the process and encourage others to follow in her footsteps.

Abughazaleh's campaign is a testament to the power of social media in shaping political discourse. As the first TikToker to run for Congress, she is breaking new ground and challenging traditional notions of political candidacy. Whether she wins or loses, her campaign is likely to have a lasting impact on the way we think about politics and social media.