IL-09 resident here. Kat ran a great campaign and is a genuinely talented communicator and I hope she has a future in Dem politics. But I want to push back on the "underdog" narrative. She had national support and national coverage from the moment she announced. This wasn't AOC out of nowhere.

March 18, 2026 - 03:19 UTC

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There were equally impressive young progressives, like Mike Simmons and Bushra Amiwala who had no media attention and were true underdogs. Kat's underdog status came not because of AIPAC, but because she couldn't overcome the impression that she chose this district to start her political career.
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If I don't ever have to hear carpetbagging as a pejorative for opportunistic district selection again, it'll still be too soon.
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That impression was accurate! I also don't think it is bad: she saw an opportunity and took it. But it was also the reality of her campaign. This district wasn't in her roots; it was landing spot for her ambition. And rightly or wrongly that rubbed a lot of potential supporters the wrong way.
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AOC had built connections in the community over time. Don’t parachute in celebrity candidates unless they’re invited.
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