Catalina Lauf Wheatley

About

Political figure, author, entrepreneur, and social media personality known for her runs for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2020 for Illinois' 14th District and 2022 for Illinois' 11th District as well as for her work as a former adviser in the Trump administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce. She is also known for being the author of the book Time to Choose: Reclaiming Liberty from the Swamp published in 2026.

Before fame

She attended McHenry County College and earned an associate degree before transferring to Miami University of Ohio where she completed her bachelor's degree. Her entry into politics came in 2019 when she launched her first congressional campaign when she was 26 years old for Illinois' 14th Congressional District. Her campaign quickly gained national attention particularly in conservative media. She ran in the March 2020 Republican primary and finished third. She ran in the Republican primary for Illinois' 11th Congressional District and won the nomination but eventually lost to incumbent Democrat Bill Foster in November 2022. She entered the race for Florida's 19th Congressional District in October 2025.

Trivia

She has appeared on television and podcasts including Fox Business programs and the PBD Podcast hosted by Patrick Bet-David. She gained national recognition in 2020 when she spoke during the Republican National Convention even after losing her primary race earlier that year. She is also known for her Instagram account where she shares political commentary, behind-the-scenes campaign content, lifestyle updates, and personal moments with her family.

Family life

She was born and raised in Woodstock, Illinois. Her parents are Phillip Lauf and Luisa Lauf. She has a sister named Madeline Lauf. Her mother and grandmother immigrated legally from Guatemala.

Associated with

She worked as a special adviser in Donald Trump's administration and was aligned with his political movement.