What if we didn’t suck?
With a provocative question (“What if we didn’t suck?”), progressive online content creator Kat Abughazaleh (“Kat Abu”) announced last week that she is running for Congress, in a northern Chicagoland district that includes both the Loyola and Northwestern University campuses. At age 26, Abughazaleh was born in the same year the district’s current Representative Jan Schakowsky was first elected to her seat in Congress.
In her announcement video she declares to the Democratic Party that “It’s time to drop the excuses, and grow a @#$%ing spine.”
Schakowsky (age 80) has not yet declared whether she will run again in 2026, and there are additional, long-time Chicago-area politicians waiting in the wings whom Abughazaleh would need to defeat in a primary. It will be fascinating to see if Abughazaleh’s online skills and social media savvy can translate into real-world votes.
Across the lake, in Michigan
Michigan state senator Mallory McMorrow announced today that she will be running for the U.S. Senate in 2026, for the seat that will be vacated by two-term senator Gary Peters.
McMorrow is a rising star within the Democratic Party, having had a featured speaking spot at the 2024 Convention wielding a comically large copy of Project 2025. Her window of opportunity widened two weeks ago when Pete Buttigieg announced he would not be competing in this race.
McMorrow’s announcement video is, to use a technical term, a corker. Crisply edited, urgently delivered, ready for a fight.
One @#$%ing thing
I sent small money donations tonight to both Abughazaleh and McMorrow.
We will need hundreds more like these women to build an American future, but right now these two serve as a sign that our post-gerontocratic leaders are beginning to arrive.
All the @#$%ing things
Night 43: Looked at projects tracking individuals abducted by ICE
Night 42: Learned more about Louis Armstrong, in his own words
Night 41: Revisited 20 lessons on tyranny
Night 40: Donated to victims of the LA fires
Night 39: Donated to a non-profit disaster alert service
Night 38: Removed Meta apps from my phone
Night 37: Added a new subscription for politics and culture news
Night 36: Catalogued things we know about Memlon Fuchs
Night 35: Described an early MAGA rift
Night 34: The gap between what voters want and what they’re getting
Night 33: An editorial policy of sorts
Night 32: Requesting records when medical claims are denied
Night 31: Things I’ve learned about money laundering
Night 30: Turned to the words of Frederick Douglass
Night 29: Canceled my OpenAI subscription
Night 28: Donated money to three orgs
Night 27: Addressed a hazardous tile floor
Night 26: Picked up trash with the Trash Falcons
Night 25: Learned more about Pete Hegseth than I wanted to
Night 24: Canceled recurring subscriptions I no longer need
Night 23: Dwelt in gratitude
Night 22: Picked up pie from a favorite local business
Night 21: Downsized my clothes closet
Night 20: Increased my monthly contribution to the ACLU
Night 19: Deleted a blog from two decades ago
Night 18: Researched nonprofit board opportunities
Night 17: Contributed to Trans Lifeline
Night 16: Spent time together with loved ones
Night 15: Bought from a not-for-profit online store
Night 14: Refined an icon and wordmark
Night 13: Contributed to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund
Night 12: Contributed to The Guardian
Night 11: Read, reflected, and rested
Night 10: Sent money to support vaccinations in Nigeria
Night 9: Sent money to a friend in need
Night 8: Gave gifts and spoke words of appreciation aloud
Night 7: Contributed to a California-focused nonprofit newsroom
Night 6: Made homemade donuts for my team
Night 5: Opted into a paid Buttondown tier
Night 4: Reviewed my local election results
Night 3: Deactivated my X account
Night 2: Contributed to my local nonprofit newsroom
Night 1: Started by starting
Words, sorts, thinks, and actions by Chris Ereneta, from Oakland, California. Thanks for reading! Consider forwarding this to a friend! Thoughtful feedback and questions are welcomed at that.often@gmail.com