Michigan Senate candidate El-Sayed addresses questions on streamer ties, Israel and campaign funding in solo debate
Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed fielded questions from a moderator and audience after Republican opponent Mike Rogers declined to attend, covering his relationship with streamer Hasan Piker, his stance on Israel, and campaign contributions.
Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed participated in a televised forum in Detroit on Tuesday after Republican rival Mike Rogers declined the invitation, leaving El-Sayed to answer questions from moderator Roop Raj, viewers and a studio audience.
El-Sayed said he completely disavowed offensive remarks made by online streamer Hasan Piker about Jewish Americans and reiterated that engaging with Piker does not imply endorsement of all the streamer’s views. He added that his goal was to provide Piker’s large audience with a “pathway back into our politics.”
When asked whether the United States should continue recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, El-Sayed declined a yes-or-no answer, stating he supports “equal rights to peace, dignity and self-determination for Palestinians and Jewish Israelis alike.” He argued that the question presumes acceptance of the current status quo without addressing broader concerns about tax-payer funding and local needs.
El-Sayed accused Rogers of turning the campaign into a “culture war” focused on his ethnicity and Muslim faith, and defended contributions from individuals associated with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as support for a civil-rights organization. He also criticized Rogers for attending American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) fundraisers, suggesting the race should not be framed around religious or ethnic identity.
Regarding the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), El-Sayed said he is not a member of the organization but emphasized that support for policies such as health care and infrastructure does not require a socialist label. He described the current economic system as “corporatism” rather than capitalism and argued that corporate consolidation poses a greater threat to free markets.
The two candidates are scheduled for additional televised debates in October before the November general election.