Ro Khanna sees what other Dems don’t: The future of the party is progressive | Opinion
Why is a California representative from Silicon Valley endorsing a Gen Z congressional candidate in suburban Illinois?
Because Ro Khanna is no dummy, that’s why. This is how one of the nation’s most forward-looking progressives is going about reshaping a Democratic Party in desperate need of a new direction.
Khanna announced his support of 26-year-old Kat Abughazaleh on Monday, in the Illinois 9th Congressional District race to replace retiring incumbent, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who is now 80 and has held the seat since the year Abughazaleh was born.
“I’m thrilled to endorse Kat Abughazaleh!” Rep. Khanna said in a statement. “She’s a journalist, union rep and community advocate who represents the best that Democrats have to offer… I look forward to working with Kat when she’s elected, so that together we can defeat Donald Trump’s inhumane agenda and focus on the most pressing issues facing working people.”
Illinois’ ninth congressional districts is one of those slices of America that is ripe for a new voice, encompassing a piece of Chicago and suburbs like Evanston and Skokie. It seems that Khanna is one of the few Democrats in this country who’s paying attention to races like this that could help accelerate a new generation’s rise in the party. According to some estimates, by 2028, Millennials and Gen Z voters will account for more than half of the American electorate.
There is clearly an ongoing generational rift between older Democrats who fear leaning too far left may alienate voters, and younger progressives who believe new faces and the policies they bring to the table are not only working, but have the potential to spread far beyond hot spots like Chicago and New York City.
Khanna’s interest in Illinois also signals that the California Democrat, who has been quiet about any plans for a 2028 presidential run, may be positioning himself as the progressive candidate that young liberals disillusioned with the Democratic Party have been waiting for.
Abughazaleh happens to be only 26, leading some to dismiss her as nothing but a YouTuber and influencer. But this young candidate has tapped into a frustrated and overwhelmingly progressive youth vote by meeting young people where they’re at (i.e. on social media).
Abughazaleh is a vocal opponent of the Trump Administration, and has criticized Israel’s role in what is increasingly regarded as an ongoing genocide in Gaza. She favors expanding government support for childcare and universal preschool, and like Khanna, approves of the Medicare for All plan — including health care for undocumented immigrants. She is an ardent supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and the Green New Deal and also supports increased regulations on artificial intelligence technology.
“I’m incredibly grateful to Congressman Khanna for his support, and I look forward to serving with him in Congress to deliver results for working people,” Abughazaleh said in a post on Instagram. “Like Ro (Khanna), I do not accept any corporate PAC money. I’m fighting for the working class, and that means not being controlled by any special interests.”
Abughazaleh says she decided to run for Congress following Trump’s second inaugural address, after she saw congressional Dems “clapping politely.” She said she views the Democratic leadership as a “culture of giving up.” It’s a sentiment many young progressives share, leading to wide disillusionment with the status quo.
While the politics of a congressional seat in Illinois is unlikely to garner much interest for Californians, it does denote an interesting shift in other parts of the country toward young, progressive candidates who are interested in pushing the status quo that has dominated the country’s two-party system for our entire lives.
Khanna also notably endorsed New York City’s progressive mayoral candidate, Zohran Mamdani, as well; becoming an early part of a shaky coalition of Dems who aren’t committed to shooting the party in the foot, by dismissing the popular appeal of young liberals. Meanwhile, other high-profile Dems, like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, declined to back the NYC Democrat.
While Khanna remains mum about a 2028 presidential run, it’s clear the option is there for him — should he decide to publicly pursue it. His backing of young candidates like Mamdani and Abughazaleh is proof that at least someone in the party understands where the people and the future lies.
“Democrats need a rebirth & rejection of the status quo. More than words,” Khanna posted Tuesday on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. “It means speaking out on the starvation in Gaza. It means M4A (Medicare For All). It means banning Super Pacs. It means no to the transactional politics that screwed Bernie in 2020.”
For voters who may be drawn to a Bernie Sanders-style progressive liberalism and like Gavin Newsom’s blue state credentials — but want a young face with ready access to the deep pockets it takes to win a national election — a Khanna presidential campaign is looking more and more like a young American progressive’s dream vote.
This story was originally published July 31, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
