Abdul El-Sayed’s Approach to His Association with Hasan Piker

There is speculation about whether Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is distancing himself from Twitch streamer Hasan Piker. The situation indicates only a minimal distancing at best.

The controversy began with Hasan Piker making problematic comments. He suggested that Jewish people are putting themselves in danger by supporting Israel, implying that harms may befall them for this reason. These comments were specifically aimed at Michigan State Senator Jeremy Moss, a Democrat hesitant to endorse El-Sayed because of his connection to Piker, known for his relentless criticism of Israel.

Piker’s comparison of Israel to ISIS ignited further outrage. He portrays Israel as bad as ISIS, suggesting that such a view could lead to negative consequences for Jews unless they renounce their support for Israel. This perspective is reflected in the rise of antisemitism across political spectrums, partly due to Israel’s declining popularity. However, suggesting that Jews deserve such outcomes, as Piker essentially did, draws parallels to earlier controversial remarks he made.

Democrats, including Representative Hillary Scholten, have criticized Piker’s targeting of Moss. Scholten, like Moss, is hesitant to endorse El-Sayed. This prompted El-Sayed to issue a statement addressing Piker’s comments without directly naming Piker or Moss.

“I believe all Americans deserve the right to advocate for what they believe without fear of violence. This is particularly true for communities that have been intimidated for their beliefs in the past. My commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own daughters. 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. But I want to be crystal clear, nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople.”

Through this statement, El-Sayed made an effort to distance himself from Piker. Yet, his association remains concerning as his participation with Piker was initially aimed at leveraging Piker’s popularity. El-Sayed shows slight distancing likely due to polling data indicating possible adverse effects on his campaign.

El-Sayed might share some agreement with Piker’s sentiment. In a related incident, when Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan was attacked by an Arab American, El-Sayed was noted saying, “hurt people hurt people,” indicating a possible alignment in views.

This situation causes difficulty for Jewish Michiganders in supporting El-Sayed, as they perceive insufficient separation between him and Piker. Some Democrats, even those very progressive, recognize this as an issue. Activist Cameron Kasky commented, “Hasan Piker is absolutely a ‘problem’ for Democrats. Centrists are attacking our party over him instead of the authoritarianism and corruption unfolding literally right before our eyes. Republicans are laughing about it. We are fabricating an electoral weakness out of thin air.”

Robby Soave, co-host of “Rising” on The Hill and senior editor for Reason Magazine, provided this analysis as part of his daily commentary.