Kat Abughazaleh, a candidate for the Democratic nomination in Illinois’ 9th congressional district, missed a critical candidate forum on Tuesday night due to her struggle with narcolepsy. In a candid statement shared via Instagram, the 26-year-old former progressive influencer explained that her condition caused her to oversleep, resulting in her absence from the event.
Abughazaleh, who previously worked for Media Matters for America, acknowledged her failure to attend the forum hosted by a chapter of Indivisible, an activist group with ties to the Soros family. She stated, “I ended up sleeping through alarms, calls, and even my campaign manager knocking on my door repeatedly.” The forum was intended to provide voters with insights into candidates vying to replace incumbent Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who announced in 2025 that she would not seek re-election.
In her Instagram post, Abughazaleh expressed her regret: “I want to offer my sincerest apologies as well as an explanation. I have a chronic illness called narcolepsy. It makes me extremely tired and occasionally causes ‘sleep attacks,’ times when my brain literally cannot stay awake.”
The candidate had previously mentioned her narcolepsy in a post on X, expressing concerns about the potential financial burden of high insurance premiums related to her condition.
Abughazaleh’s campaign has faced scrutiny beyond her health issues. In October 2025, a federal grand jury indicted her for allegedly “hindering and impeding” officers from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a lawful operation in September 2025. A video circulating on social media depicted her attempting to obstruct an ICE agent’s vehicle, raising further questions about her political approach to immigration enforcement.
As she competes in a crowded primary field, Abughazaleh lists “anti-authoritarianism” as a central theme of her campaign. Her platform emphasizes taking action against what she describes as aggressive tactics employed by ICE. She states her commitment to “taking the fight to them, whether it’s the House floor or the streets where ICE is attacking us.”
Despite the controversy surrounding her campaign, Abughazaleh has not publicly addressed requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation regarding her recent absence from the forum or the indictment.
As the race for the Democratic nomination heats up, Abughazaleh’s unique challenges illustrate the complex interplay between personal health and public service amid a highly competitive political landscape.
