Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has issued a statement distancing his campaign from streamer Hasan Piker following controversial remarks regarding American Jews and Israel.
Key facts
- •Abdul El-Sayed stated that nobody speaks for his campaign besides himself and his official spokespeople.
- •Hasan Piker suggested during a livestream that American Jewish support for Israel could lead to actions against American Jews.
- •State Sen. Jeremy Moss denounced Piker’s comments and rejected being lectured by the streamer.
- •Rep. Hillary Scholten called Piker’s rhetoric "dangerous" and "unacceptable."
- •AIPAC spent $30 million during the Michigan primary race, which El-Sayed made a central issue of his campaign.
Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has formally distanced his campaign from progressive streamer Hasan Piker after Piker suggested that American Jewish support for Israel could lead to actions against Jews in the U.S. El-Sayed stated that he stands against rhetoric putting the community at risk and emphasized that only he and his spokespeople speak for his campaign. The move follows criticism of Piker’s comments during a recent livestream, which featured images of Michigan state Sen. Jeremy Moss.
Piker's comments and the reaction
During a Thursday livestream, Piker argued that the perception of American Jews as being singularly invested in Israel could lead to people taking action against them. The stream displayed a social media post featuring Michigan Democratic congressional nominee Jeremy Moss, a supporter of Israel. Moss, who has been in dialogue with El-Sayed regarding safety and security, denounced Piker’s comments as an attempt to create further divisions and stated he would not be lectured by a California podcaster. Rep. Hillary Scholten also condemned Piker’s remarks as "dangerous" and "unacceptable," accusing him of targeting Moss. Piker responded to Scholten on social media, defending his position. Republican candidate Mike Rogers criticized El-Sayed for his past association with Piker, labeling the streamer as El-Sayed’s "running mate."
El-Sayed’s campaign challenges
El-Sayed has faced difficulty unifying Michigan Democrats following a primary campaign marked by accusations of antisemitism and his embrace of Piker. He has previously drawn criticism for his response to an attack on a Michigan synagogue in March and for declining to answer whether Israel has a right to exist during a June interview. His primary campaign also focused on opposing contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which spent $30 million in the race. Since winning the nomination, El-Sayed has sought to keep Piker at arm’s length, including disavowing Piker’s past comments regarding the September 11 attacks. Party leaders, including former President Barack Obama, have worked to unify the party ahead of the general election.
Timeline
- MarchA man attacked a Michigan synagogue, leading to criticism of El-Sayed's response.
- JuneEl-Sayed declined to answer whether Israel has a right to exist during a CNN interview.
- ThursdayHasan Piker made controversial comments about American Jews during a livestream.
- Monday eveningJeremy Moss issued a statement denouncing Piker’s comments.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Politico.
