A progressive Democratic influencer on Monday threw her hat in the ring to oust Illinois Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky in the state's ninth district during next year's midterms.

Kat Abughazaleh, who has garnered more than 217,000 followers on TikTok, said it was time for a generational change in the district. The influencer did not cite Schakowsky by name, but the congresswoman has represented the district for 14 terms, per The Hill.

“[President] Donald Trump and Elon Musk are dismantling our country piece by piece, and so many Democrats seem content to just sit back and let ‘em,” Abughazaleh said in a video announcing her candidacy on X. “So I say it’s time to drop the excuses and grow a f‑‑‑ing spine. I’m Kat Abughazaleh, and I’m running for Congress in Illinois’s 9th District.”

The social media user implied on her campaign website that Schakowsky and other lawmakers are out of touch with Democratic voters, claiming they have not had to struggle as she and other constituents have. 

“We deserve Representatives who face the same challenges we do (or at least have some time in the last decade),” Abughazaleh said. “They don’t deal with out-of-pocket prescription costs or nightmarish rent hikes or existential fear about their lives in 50 years. You and I do.”

Schakowsky appeared to welcome the challenge in a statement to The Hill.

“What makes our community, and our country, so great is that we welcome all voices and ideas," Schakowsky said. "I have always encouraged more participation in the democratic process, and I’m glad to see new faces getting involved as we stand up against the Trump Administration. Right now, that’s what I’m focused on: fighting back against this extreme MAGA regime."

Illinois' ninth district is located in the northern Chicago suburbs and includes Evanston, Skokie and Niles. It is reliably Democrat.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.