Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed fails to denounce antisemitic rhetoric from radical streamer Hasan Piker
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is under fire for refusing to firmly distance himself from far-left streamer Hasan Piker, who accused Jewish Americans of fueling antisemitism through support for Israel, drawing condemnation from both parties.
Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed is facing widespread criticism after refusing to unequivocally denounce radical streamer Hasan Piker, who outrageously claimed that certain Jewish Americans’ support for Israel 'makes antisemitism worse.' Piker’s inflammatory remarks, made during a lengthy Twitch broadcast, have been condemned by responsible voices across the political spectrum, including Michigan Democrats and Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers.
Piker, a controversial figure who campaigned with El-Sayed in the Democratic primary, accused Jewish institutions of spreading 'dangerous propaganda' by supposedly presenting a unified stance on Israel. He went further, irresponsibly suggesting that linking Jewish identity to Israel could incite violence against American Jews—a dangerous and reckless assertion.
El-Sayed’s campaign attempted damage control, issuing a vague statement that only he and his spokespeople represent the campaign, while making a generic pledge to the safety of all communities, including Jewish residents. 'My commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own daughters,' the statement read, but critics argue this falls far short of a real denunciation.
Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers called out El-Sayed for his weak response, labeling the campaign’s statement a 'sham' and pointing out that Piker has essentially become El-Sayed’s 'running mate.' Even Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten described Piker’s comments as antisemitic, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries warned that blaming American Jews for violence is dangerous and unacceptable.
Congressional candidate Jeremy Moss, who has not endorsed El-Sayed, rejected Piker’s attacks on the Jewish community in Oakland County and made clear he will not support Rogers either. Moss said he and El-Sayed are still in talks to unify the ticket, despite significant policy differences.
Piker, refusing to apologize, doubled down on his divisive comments, claiming he was merely warning against conflating Zionism with Judaism and dismissing the backlash as a 'smear campaign.'
This controversy further exposes the radical influences surrounding El-Sayed’s campaign and raises serious questions about his judgment and associations as the Michigan Senate race heats up.