Kat Abughazaleh loses primary election bid for Illinois U.S. House seat

March 18, 2026

In Illinois' 9th Congressional District Democratic primary, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss defeated political newcomer Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old challenger who ran on a platform calling for generational change in party leadership. Biss secured approximately 30 percent of votes, winning by fewer than 4,000 votes over Abughazaleh, with state Senator Laura Fine finishing a distant third. Given the district's strong Democratic lean, Biss is expected to easily win the general election in November and replace retiring Representative Jan Schakowsky, who has held the seat since 1999.

Who is affected

Daniel Biss (winner of the Democratic primary)
Kat Abughazaleh (26-year-old candidate who lost the primary)
State Senator Laura Fine (third-place finisher)
Retiring Democratic Representative Jan Schakowsky
Democratic voters in Illinois' 9th Congressional District
Progressive candidates running across the country (referenced by Abughazaleh)
The Trump administration (referenced as target of resistance)

What action is being taken

No explicit ongoing actions are described in the article. The primary election has concluded, and the article focuses on past campaign activities and future possibilities rather than current actions.

Why it matters

This race represents a generational debate within the Democratic Party about when and how leadership change should occur. The election outcome is significant because it will determine representation for a heavily Democratic Chicago-area district, and Biss is virtually guaranteed to win the general election. The race also reflects broader tensions within the progressive movement about whether to challenge incumbent Democrats and how aggressively to push for party renewal, particularly in the context of Trump's return to the presidency and Democrats' 2024 presidential loss despite raising $1.5 billion.

What's next

Biss will compete in the November midterm elections for the U.S. House seat. Once elected, he plans to work on abolishing ICE in its current form, placing conditions on U.S. military aid to Israel regarding the Gaza war, and reversing Trump administration cuts to Medicaid from the recent tax bill.

Read full article from source: The 19th