Instead of takedown ads, this Gen-Z congressional candidate is using campaign money to feed people

Kat Abu is amazing and just the kind of grass roots candidate we need everywhere.

If by grassroots you mean suspiciously funded by 80% out of district and living off her rich republican parents money to do it
- You seem to be literally the only one who is saying this ....
  .... If you had some type of proof we'd be willing to see it
- You don't have kids do you?

She's doing a beach clean up tomorrow. She's invited everyone out to volunteer and ask her questions. It's a little far from me and I'm but in her district but, still considering attending just to see what's up.

This candidate's skills seem to be in communication and I'm glad they are using it for good.

I hope this inspires a new generation of politician candidates that put action ahead of the politics in their messaging, because I admit that action alone without messaging means no one hears the good work you are doing and gives free reign to culture war misinformation and billionaire funded hate campaigns.

It has worked. Here in Vancouver, we got a city councillor whose day job is a dishwasher, because of their progressive vision and their concrete action over rhetoric to help people in our communities. He and an anti-automobile candidate beat out the incumbent party's cop candidate and the NIMBY candidates by a wide margin.

Kat Abughazaleh is her name.

Also worth noting she's running for congress in Illinios
- Specifically, IL-9, against the incumbent democrat, whose name is "Kat Abughazaleh's opponent."
You can tell she's to the left of the incumbent because her name doesn't appear in the headline.
- The incumbent is retiring. There will be no incumbent.
How do you pronounce it??
- Katherine Abughazaleh (/ˌɑː.buː.ɡəˈzɑː.leɪ/, Levantine Arabic pronunciation: [ˌʔa.buː ʁaˈzaːle]

I think she’s amazing and wish her nothing but luck.

I know that if she is spending money this way, she’s doing it on the up-and-up with only the right intentions.

But I can’t get over thinking that political campaigns doing charity work starts to resemble “a chicken in every pot” vote-buying. I would love it if someone who knows campaign finance law better than me could comment on the legality of it.

Vote buying is legal now. Elon did it the last two elections.
But also, that's not what she is doing. She is using campaign funds to have dinners (legal) and then asking attendees to bring items to donate and then giving those items to other needy people. None of that would be illegal even if we were still a country of laws.

Even if she's not going to win, she's using her campaign to help real people right now. Props for that.

The criticism that she only recently moved to the district is in bad faith. How many of the city's mayors had residency loopholes? We should be encouraging and welcoming visionary newcomers like Kat who are seeking to make an impact, especially given the state's population drain.

I knew who it was before I even read her name. I hope she wins and does good things.

Her parents are rich Republicans. She's unemployed. She's coming in from outside the district she's trying to run for, despite living in a contestable district. She doesn't even live here yet and she's trying to run. She's incredibly suspicious even at surface value.
- So I'm not from the USA and have heard the argument that she's suspicious because she's out of district a couple of times. So why is that bad? (I have no clue about american politics so I hope the question isn't dumb)
- You ever work for Correct the Record?
  Edit: Everyone, please don't feed this known troll. https://sh.itjust.works/modlog?userId=94883

I wonder if once elected she would be able to get taxpayer dollars directed in such a way, or if this is activity mainly enabled by the freedom and increasingly unregulated campaign system of American politics.

We don't need more Glusencamp-Perez or Fetterman types in office, but if this campaign actually translates into real, meaningful policy towards the hungry and homeless (if only in Illinois)? Can't complain, though that feels unlikely in this environment.

Once you're in place and have access to tax dollars instead of campaign funds, you get them spent on things by putting that community infrastructure into place.
One problem with that is they're running for a collective position. In their campaign, they're captain of their own ship. A congresswoman is more a crewmate. Greater power, but more divided.
One thing they would be able to do, though, is never stop campaigning. They'll be less active, as a congresswoman, but the campaign pivots to next election (which, let's be honest, that's already the norm, there is no break from politics anymore), and that next election can be focused on on-the-ground community campaigning the entire time.
So, no, you won't see the same level of activism with tax dollars, they don't lead, but she and others that follow her can do good consistently with their position through campaign funds and fight for good in their government while that happens.
Curious what your issues with glusencamp-perez are? I don't live in her district, but seems like she represents her constituents fairly well for how politically split the district is...but again I'm not necessarily in the know.
- She does in that she votes conservative and against the Democratic Party platform often. There was hope she would help further working class issues in deeper red territory but it has more resulted in supporting deep red social issues as a Democrat. (She helped block abortion and trans rights in the military under Biden, etc.)

Never heard of her before but she sounds cool as hell. Wishing her all the success!!

She's a plant coming in from out of district with suspicious funding. She doesn't deserve success
- I wonder how much democrats spend on oppo research and messaging against progressives.

Kat's great, but her opposition to traditional Democratic politics is going to tank her campaign. The Democrats only want old, rich ~~conservatives~~ centrists.

It is nice to see at least one Democrat who's doing some real good, though.

I like to think the tides are slowly, but gradually, turning as more people realize how useless the democrats have been. I hope there will be more candidates like Kat showing up everywhere soon
- I like to think the tides are slowly, but gradually, turning as more people realize how useless the democrats have been.
  Yeah, I noticed it as well ever since Chuck Schumer rubber stamped the Republican budget bill-- which would disenfranchise millions of Americans from Medicare cuts-- without offering much resistance. Even some of the die-hard centrist Democrats here in Lemmy seem to sobering up as well. But hopefully my observation isn't just contained in social media and my information circle, but the also throughout the US.
- There's a part of me that wants to be optimistic, but this is America.
An out of district plant is not great

Knowing enough about the US this is probably highly illegal

Historically - buying votes with alcohol was a thing. Think 1890’s - 1920’s corruption - Tammany Hall. Probably how Edgar Allen Poe died - voting multiple times in exchange for alcohol.
Not only that she's likely a Republican funded plant. She's trying to run in my district, but she doesn't even live here yet, and she's planning to run for our congressperson. It's horrifying tbh and I'm going to help campaign against her
- What kind of anxiety do you have and how do I not get it?
  Have you done any research into her? She's an influencer type who has been posting progressive content for a while.
- centrists love pretending that everyone to their left is actually a republican.
- https://sh.itjust.works/modlog?userId=94883
  Everyone, please don't feed this troll.

This is the way

Her videos and work at media matters are excellent as well.

I saw her political videos on TikTok. She would give explanations about the content that was aired on Fox N*** over the last little bit of time, coverage that you might have missed, and how things are being portrayed to its viewers. Her segments were very well done and very useful.