How to get photo_id to pass through on Ajax POST method - Django

I am trying to create a "like" button where each time a user likes the post, the count will increase by one and add the user's name to it. When I click my button, only the csrf token passes through. What is wrong with my code that I cannot get the photo_id to pass through?

Thank you in advance!

views.py:

def like_ajax(request):
    if request.is_ajax() and request.POST:
        like_item_id = request.POST.get('photo_id', '')
        try:
            new_like = LikeItem.objects.get(id=like_item_id)
        except:
            new_like = None
        if new_like:
            message = "success"
            if request.user in new_like.likers.all():
                new_like.likers.add(request.user)
                new_like.save()
                like_count = add_new.likers.count()
                did_like = True
            else:
                new_like.likers.remove(request.user)
                new_like.save()
                vote = add_new.likers.count()
                did_like = False
        else:
            message = 'error'
            like_count = 0
            did_like = False

        data = {
            "did_like": did_like,
            "like_count": like_count,
            "message": message,
        }
        new_data = json.dumps(data)
        return HttpResponse(new_data, content_type='application/json')

    else:
        raise Http404

models.py:

class LikeItem(models.Model):
    likers = models.ManyToManyField(settings.AUTH_USER_MODEL, related_name='Likers', null=True, blank=True)
    image = models.ForeignKey(Photo)
    timestamp = models.DateTimeField(auto_now=False, auto_now_add=True, default=timezone.now())

jquery:

$('.like_btn').click(function(e){
        e.preventDefault();
        $photo_id = $(this).attr("photo_id");
        $button = $(this);
        $.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: "{% url 'like_ajax' %}",
            data: {
                'photo_id': $photo_id,
                csrfmiddlewaretoken: "{{ csrf_token }}",
            },
            dataType: "json",
            success: function(data) {
                if (data.liked) {
                    data.like_count;
                    // do something after item is liked
                    // can get count with data.like_count
                } else {
                    data.like_count;
                    // item is no longer liked
                }
            },
            error: function (rs, e) {
                alert('Sorry, there was an error with your request. Please try again later.');
            }
        });

    });

html button:

<button class="like_btn btn btn-info" value="photo_id" type="button">Like this</button>