Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed broke his silence on bipartisan fury after Hasan Piker triggered it with comments about American Jews and violence. The Democratic candidate, locked in a tight race against Republican Mike Rogers, now faces pressure to fully disavow the streamer he once courted openly on the campaign trail.
Abdul El-Sayed responds after Hasan Piker remarks spark criticism in Michigan Senate race
El-Sayed, who has appeared with Piker multiple times on the campaign trail, issued a statement insisting that “nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople.” The remarks follow days of bipartisan backlash against Piker, who told his Twitch audience that if American Jews “keep putting this idea out there that they are singularly invested in Israel, eventually someone’s going to come around and take action — not against the state of Israel, mind you, but against American Jews.”
The Democratic nominee sought to downplay Piker’s influence while reaffirming his commitment to Jewish safety. “I believe all Americans deserve the right to advocate for what they believe without fear of violence,” El-Sayed said. “Antisemitism is a scourge, and we need to address it in all its forms. And I stand against any rhetoric that puts the community at risk.”
The relationship between Abdul El-Sayed and Hasan Piker has been visible for months. El-Sayed had previously told reporters he wanted to court Piker’s massive young audience even while disagreeing with some of his views.
Moreover, Piker defended his comments on X, arguing that “falsely tying Israel to Jewish people IS increasing antisemitism” and insisting “this isn’t a call for violence.” His remarks reflect growing progressive opposition to US support for Israel amid the war in Gaza.
However, Republicans seized on the controversy. Mike Rogers, who has sought to win over voters who backed Stevens in the primary, described Piker as El-Sayed’s “running mate” and accused the campaign of tolerating calls for violence.
El-Sayed pushed back against the framing, accusing “politicians and pundits” of trying “to make this race about a Twitch streamer.”
