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Kat Abughazaleh

@katmabu.bsky.social
338K followers 785 following 6.2K posts

Former congressional candidate and journalist trying to change politics for good :) | www.kapow.works/

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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
🚨 IT’S FINALLY HERE 🚨 The KAPOW handbook is officially released: 60 pages all about how to integrate mutual aid into electoral politics. And it’s FREE. Join the 1,500+ people who have already received their digital copy: kapow.works/handbook
Front page of the printed KAPOW handbook, with callout text that reads: 
"LIVE NOW! Swipe for a preview >" Preview of the KAPOW handbook, excerpt copy [up until character limit] that reads: 

How did we get here?
America has cultivated a culture where thousands of people across the country take the noble first step to run for office, only to find themselves sprinting all the way to Election Day through an extremely traumatic, masochistic, and undemocratic process we like to call "campaigning".

Political races are analyzed in terms of who raised more money (which is far easier when you know rich people or are rich yourself, who has the most connections (who doesn't love a backroom deal?), and who is more "electable" (translation: white, centrist man). The extraordinary amounts of cash burned on advertisements and consulting every year are considered a natural byproduct of a system we pretend is still functional. It's almost impossible for working class people to represent their communities as those with power consolidate it further.
But guess what?
It doesn't have to be this way. We don't have to suck.
When I started my congressional campaign, I wanted to try all of the things I've ranted about to my partner: "Why don't Democrats do [insert cool thing]?" Every time I was in a room with someone with power, I asked the same and was always told it won't work. "Well, have you tried it?" I'd ask. The answer was always no. So I decided to try it myself. At worst, I'd lose. But I'd still give the next person a case study to point to, to know that we tried to do something and make it better the next go around.
Well, I did lose. But we - myself, my team, our supporters - won a lot too. We beat 15 candidates, including multiple elected officials, coming in second, just 3 points shy of first place. When I launched, many politicos didn't think I'd break 5%. But we did. And we did it by actually breaking the mold.
That's where KAPOW comes in. Preview of the KAPOW handbook, excerpt copy [up until character limit] that reads: 

So... What is KAPOW?
Great question! The KAPOW Method is the name for a new method of campaigning, defined by three main pillars:
• The integration of mutual aid and direct service into electoral campaign work, turning political resources into tangible impact
• The radical belief that helping your community before Election Day is a viable organizing strategy
• The creation of an explicitly political community through creative and non-traditional political action

But my personal favorite description comes from my friend and collaborator, Mia Orlando:
" ]When we say 'KAPOW!, it means halting the doom.
It means turning collective anger into meaningful change.
No one person can do this alone, and through many different channels, we can come together."

Everything described in this handbook comes from our own experience in the Kat for Illinois campaign and what we have learned since founding KAPOW. While we have given a lot of thought to how this would apply in a hyper-urban landscape like Manhattan or a more rural landscape like Idaho, at the time of writing this, we have not been able to do this kind of operation in those places. I say this to remind you, the reader, that nothing in politics and nothing in human-to-human interaction will be one-size-fits-all. And, if we have the capacity, we would love to help you tailor this method to your own campaign.
This is also a method that requires buy-in from both the candidate and their staff. It requires strong values and courage, a willingness to analyze and accept opportunity costs, investment in divergent methods, accessibility, creativity, and a commitment to the work, win or lose. But that's why you're running in the first place, right?
We included an index that divides our method into a variety of categories. At the end of each category, we also added a section for Frequently Asked Questions. Preview of the KAPOW handbook, with copy that reads: 

THERE'S 60 MORE PAGES TO READ!
This is just a preview!

READ THE FULL GUIDE
KAPOW.WORKS/HANDBOOK
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 1h
💥 last day to get a printed KAPOW handbook!! 💥 make a $50+ donation and we’ll mail you a printed copy of the handbook straight to your door so you can read it offline, in bed, under a pile of cats, where the doomscrolling internet can’t reach you.
Four comic panels of a lil guy lying in bed on their phone. The first two panels show the lil guy alone, looking melancholic scrolling on the internet, with Dragon and Heater coming up to see what's wrong. In the third panel, Heater and Dragon surround the lil guy along with a handbook titled "How to Kapow the System". The fourth panel shows our lil guy with a glimmer of hope in their eyes for the first time since 2016, reading the definitive guide to making politics Not Suck anymore with the kitties and the handbook by their side. 

ORIGINAL MEME CREDIT: @iamcdn.bsky.social :)
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Sheryl Weikal says Prosecute ICE @leftistlawyer.com · 19h
Chicagoland friends, I have a favor to ask. I have a pro bono client, a Black woman, who is currently facing charges for allegedly pointing a gun at her abusive ex - who admitted to raping her. I would love if there could be a show of support for her at her next few court dates.
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 16h
WE'RE TAKING KAPOW ON THE ROAD! We have four more trips across the Midwest before November 3, and we want you with us. 💥 Oct. 2–4: Iowa 💥 Oct. 10–11: Indiana 💥 Oct. 22–25: Wisconsin 💥 Oct. 31–Nov. 3: Michigan See you on the road and at the doors!!!
Promo graphic for our Midwest Canvassing scheduling with KAPOW, text reads: 
“Let’s help our neighbors across the MIDWEST,” with each letter of "MIDWEST" filled with images from the region. 

Below, event dates are listed for Michigan (Sep 17-20 and Oct 31-Nov 3), Indiana (October 10-11), Iowa (October 2-4), and Wisconsin (October 22-25). 

The bottom includes a call to action: “Learn more and sign up at KAPOW.WORKS/MIDWEST"]]Promo graphic for our Midwest Canvassing scheduling with KAPOW, text reads: 
“Let’s help our neighbors across the MIDWEST,” with each letter of "MIDWEST" filled with images from the region. 

Below, event dates are listed for Michigan (Sep 17-20 and Oct 31-Nov 3), Indiana (October 10-11), Iowa (October 2-4), and Wisconsin (October 22-25). 

The bottom includes a call to action: “Learn more and sign up at KAPOW.WORKS/MIDWEST"Promo graphic for our Midwest Canvassing scheduling with KAPOW, text reads: 
“Let’s help our neighbors across the MIDWEST,” with each letter of "MIDWEST" filled with images from the region. 

Below, event dates are listed for Michigan (Sep 17-20 and Oct 31-Nov 3), Indiana (October 10-11), Iowa (October 2-4), and Wisconsin (October 22-25). 

The bottom includes a call to action: “Learn more and sign up at KAPOW.WORKS/MIDWEST"Promo graphic for our Midwest Canvassing scheduling with KAPOW, text reads: 
“Let’s help our neighbors across the MIDWEST,” with each letter of "MIDWEST" filled with images from the region. 

Below, event dates are listed for Michigan (Sep 17-20 and Oct 31-Nov 3), Indiana (October 10-11), Iowa (October 2-4), and Wisconsin (October 22-25). 

The bottom includes a call to action: “Learn more and sign up at KAPOW.WORKS/MIDWEST"
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Ben Collins @bencollins.bsky.social · 16h
Three years ago, the Free Beacon ironically named me man of the year on their website. "Don’t give up Ben, you have a whole lot of nothing to look forward to," they wrote. This year, I was on a TIME100 list. I would take this moment to tell them how they can suck me: from the back. Thank you.
We don’t know about Ben’s family or personal finances, but we certainly can’t disagree about his lack of skills. But for someone with absolutely no ability, Ben has found the perfect gig.

Don’t give up Ben, you have a whole lot of nothing to look forward to. Only now, when you do nothing, you'll do it as a Free Beacon Man of the Year.I win.
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 19h
Political campaigns are very good at taking from communities. They take our money, our time, our data, our attention. Then Election Day comes, and most of what they built disappears. We think campaigns should leave something bigger and better behind:
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GodzillaVS 🦖 @godzillavs.bsky.social · 19h
🚬😏👍🏻
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 22h
idk if yall heard but my bf is one of the top 100 people in the world, time said so
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Andre 🇨🇦 @iamcdn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
you're very blessed
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Mike Rothschild @rothschildmd.bsky.social · 23h
Right after the Eaton Fire, Ben reached out to let me know he talked to some folks he still knew at NBC to get me on the air. I was on MSNBC the next night. There was nothing in it for him, he just did it. One of the best people I know, and he deserves everything good he gets.
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Noah Berlatsky @nberlat.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
me on how we know Trump doesn't have a magic button to win the midterms because he keeps thrashing around looking for a magic button. www.everythingishorrible.net/p/trump-woul...
everythingishorrible.net
Trump Wouldn’t Promise Cash If He’d Rigged the Midterms
He doesn’t have a plan.
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Lindsey Boylan @lindseyboylan.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
This man is a monster. He seeks out women survivors because he hates them. And he hates them because he hates himself. He has harassed me and other women survivors many times over the years. It must end. He should never have a job anywhere.
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LeeTregen @leetregen.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Dragon the cat, hastily edited onto a magazine
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Andy Pearlman @apearlma.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
the time cover, except heater has climbed on top of the dancer's head, explaining why the dancer seems to be staggering around blindly, as the cat is blocking their vision
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Jerry Chen @jcsalterego.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
very limited production budget on this one sorry
OP's cover of TIME with two cats photoshopped in
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
who will dare to photoshop heater / dragon onto the cover
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Mark Primiano @doctor1hundred.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
A fun thing about Ben is that he refuses to accept he deserves this level of praise. When he told me this was coming, I congratulated him and he said "I don't belong on that list!" Wrong! You do!
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Chuck (flightless) @mrcott.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Another neighbor foster will be at @pawschicago.bsky.social in the next few days, this tiny kitten is extra small, looks like Halloween and her name is Cappuccino. If you're in Chicago and looking for a tiny pal please keep an eye on their website
All four pictures are of a tiny kitten with orange and black patchy coloring, she is very small and looks a bit like a cute alien
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Deny, Defend, Depose (Carl Nyberg) @carlnyberg312.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
@katmabu.bsky.social is building an organization. And that's a good thing. And she has a playbook. Also, a good thing. youtube.com/shorts/p4ck1...
youtube.com
Imagine If Every Campaign Did This | KAPOW!
YouTube video by Kat Abughazaleh
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
“They say he who laughs last, laughs best. And Ben Collins is the best.” Couldn’t agree more. time.com/collection/t...
time.com
Ben Collins Is on the 2026 TIME100 Next
Find out why Ben Collins is on this year’s list
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The Onion @theonion.com · 29/09/2026
Cornell Vows That Rapists Will Be Forced To Write Much Longer Essays In The Future theonion.com/cornell-vows...
Cornell Vows That Rapists Will Be Forced To Write Much Longer Essays In The Future
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Gord Jorkins @nothinkyjustvibey.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
That’s fucking demented. “Hey did you broads think about getting a little group together and doing something?”
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
average man harasses 0 women per year. Spiders Georg, who lives in cave & harasses over 10,000 each day, is an outlier adn should not have been counted
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
WE LOVE STUDENT JOURNALISTS IN THIS HOUSE
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Saeed Jones @theferocity.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
“Ever since we’ve posted the secondary coverage as well as the editorial, there’s been an absolute outpour of similar stories hitting my inbox and the sexual-misconduct tip line.”
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
A man replied to this saying in earnest that women need to get organized and fight for our rights and men will follow. We did that. We do that. We mobilized the largest single day protest in global history on every continent and yet I have fewer rights than my mom did at my age.
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Pam Herd @pamherd.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
America.gov launched today--a DOGE initiative to use AI to deliver public services. Child lying facedown on a frozen lake as the image accompanying the question: "How can I invest in my child's future" is just incredible. Way to go AI
Image of a child lying facedown on a froze lake.  above is the portal where you ask AI questions about government services.  the question matching this image is:  "How can I invest in my child's future?"
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
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Sleestak @sleestak.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
and behold a pale horse. and the name that sat on him was death. and hell followed with him
cat on a statue
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Hannah Vardit @hannahvardit.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
i worry that men think being A Good Guy is dramatically and heroically intervening on behalf of an endangered woman and then being publicly rewarded on a grand scale when actually being A Good Guy is just usually saying, “hey man that’s not funny” or “wow that’s fucked up” and there is no reward
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olyester 🌼 @cco00oo.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
on sale
A digital painting of Leafeon

A leafeon naps in a basket of peppers at a produce stand bathed in sunlight. Partly eaten peppers sits nearby, while the price tag has been replaced with a half-off label: "leftovers" They're a bargain, so pepper stir-fry it is tonight. Now then... let's make sure we don't wake the little sleeper
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I literally don’t know a single woman who hasn’t been raped, stalked, groped, harassed, or sexually violated in some way at some point in their life. If you choose to doubt and dox survivors, just know every woman in your life is disgusted by you.
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🕷️Spectre of Communism🕷️, MSW (NOT A MAN) 🥯🌹 @acabcalloway.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
He's trying to deliberately wreck the grand jury and get the victim SLAPP-ed. Vile stuff.
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Dale "Assman" Earnhardt @thorco.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Out of curiosity I cut his body out in a photo editor and put that thing down flipped it and reversed it. He is somehow still the same shape, like some cursed Weeble Wobble
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Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Cornell University treating Gaza protestors more harshly than gang rapists is a real statement of values. It’s almost like violent domination by the powerful is the core belief of leadership.
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Dustin @dustinheron.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"Her lawsuit didnt hesitate to name & shame" wtf do you think lawsuits are for you sweaty toad
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Angie Nixon @angieforfl.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
One week out, and this is where “I’ll do it later” starts costing people. If somebody in your family keeps saying they’ll get around to it, call them. If your coworker just moved and has been meaning to update everything, remind them.
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David Simon @audacityofdespair.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I don't even want this malignant sociopath talking about nuclear strikes on cities, much less having the authority and capacity to personally order them. Which, um, he has.
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mfgink @mfgink.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
some of us always understood the heart underneath it
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
every rewatch I am stricken by how well the story straddles the line between “goofy found family-idiots in love-spy vs assassin shenanigans” and “heart-wrenching depiction of the futility, devastation, and trauma of war”
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Hope to see you there!
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Zeteo @zeteo.com · 28/09/2026
'NIGHT FLOWER: Inside AIPAC's Fight for Influence,' a new Zeteo documentary premieres LIVE in Chicago on October 20th at 7pm. Followed by a panel discussion w/ @mehdirhasan.bsky.social @katmabu.bsky.social @ramirez.house.gov @dionnissenbaum.bsky.social @mzdereus.bsky.social of @theimeu.bsky.social
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Andrew Schreck @andrewschreck.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
i don't think cis guys realize how much power they can shift in a conversation just by casually telling their friends
"that's fucked up, man" when someone says something
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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
i hope that men notice how whenever a rape story gets widespread coverage, women use it as an opportunity to vent about how fucking disgusting we think many of you are and how many have made our lives measurably worse, and take a few moments to deeply process that.
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
📕 LAST FEW DAYS TO GET A SIGNED KAPOW HANDBOOK! 📕 Make a $50+ donation to KAPOW by October 1 and we’ll send you a printed copy of the handbook, shipped straight to your door. 💥 kapow.works/donate
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I am now taking suggestions for Dragon’s Halloween costume
Dragon, a grey nebelung in a little green shirt with a teddy bear on it
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Ben Collins @bencollins.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I'm absolutely losing it. Everything in here is made up (we hired an actor, rented a car, did not use AI, obviously), but he just invents a whole-ass world. Boner pills are a helluva drug.
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Better things are possible.
Graphic with a quote from KAPOW Handbook, it reads: 

 “Cynicism is for losers.
We can build the world we want to see”

At the bottom, it displays the URL: https://kapow.works/handbook
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cait (and adonis) @cait.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
so called free thinkers when mommy takes the warm soft sheets out of the dryer
orange cat asleep under a navy blue pillowcase
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
No stream tonight still sick :(
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new world penis @jazzpomegranate.com · 27/09/2026
all i heard was a german guy screaming
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