Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate candidate, has sharply distanced himself from Hasan Piker after the streamer’s recent remarks on Israel and Jewish Americans, prompting a significant backlash within the Democratic party and drawing condemnation from Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee. The controversy, which has been dominating the Michigan Senate race, centers on Piker’s repeated criticism of Jewish Americans’ support for Israel, which El-Sayed has characterized as fueling antisemitism.
It’s the latest episode in a heated debate sparked by Piker’s campaign with El-Sayed during the primary, where Piker offered a lengthy, often provocative, stream on Israel and U.S. foreign policy. Piker’s remarks, which he’s called ‘very dangerous propaganda,’ have divided Michigan Democrats and garnered condemnation from the GOP Senate nominee, Mike Rogers, who has sought to tie Piker’s statements to El-Sayed.
Almost two hours into a live stream last week, Piker criticized Jeremy Moss, the Democratic nominee for a suburban Michigan Congressional seat. Moss hasn’t endorsed El-Sayed, stating in Slate that he needs to “demonstrate some serious outreach to Oakland County’s Jewish community.”
Piker argued that the “connection between Israel and Zionism that is expressed over and over again through a lot of these Jewish institutions is teaching people the idea that Jews are monolithic.” He called this a “very dangerous mode of propaganda.”
Following Piker’s comments, El-Sayed’s campaign issued a statement emphasizing his commitment to Jewish safety and cautioned against politicizing the issue. However, El-Sayed’s comments did not come during an interview with Fox News’ Jesse Watters, where Piker’s remarks were presented as a ‘sham statement’. Rogers, a former House member, has called Piker’s remarks a “sham statement” and referred to El-Sayed’s distancing from Piker as “running mate.” He said, “Abdul’s attempt at distancing himself from this violent and hateful rhetoric now that he and Hasan won the primary is the epitome of what a conman does—says one thing when it serves him and another when it doesn’t.”
Moss, in a statement, said, “I will not be lectured by a California podcaster about what Oakland County, Michigan’s Jewish community should and shouldn’t believe. And we certainly won’t be gaslit that we’re responsible for the antisemitic harm upon us.” His post did not mention Piker by name, but he added that he and El-Sayed have been in “continual dialogue” since winning their respective primaries, and that there is still work ahead to unite their ticket despite their differences.
In a press conference Tuesday, El-Sayed addressed the rise in hateful rhetoric targeting Michigan communities, stating he would not ‘sugarcoat’ his differences with Moss on Israel and foreign policy.
El-Sayed said he was not going to ‘sugarcoat’ his differences with Moss on Israel and foreign policy. He added that he will not support Rogers, the Republican nominee.
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Source: CBS News
