Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has issued a statement to distance himself from prominent streamer Hasan Piker, a supporter whose recent remarks about Jewish Americans and Israel have drawn widespread criticism.
El-Sayed emphasized in his statement that "nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople." The declaration comes after Piker, during a stream last week, featured an image of state Sen. Jeremy Moss, the Democratic nominee in Michigan's 11th Congressional District. Moss, who is Jewish, has reported that a fake audio clip of him claiming his sole motivation for running for Congress is to ensure continued U.S. support for Israel is circulating.
During the stream, Piker warned, "If Jews in America keep putting this idea out there that they are singularly invested in Israel, eventually someone is going to come around and take action, not against the state of Israel, mind you, but against American Jews."
Piker, who previously endorsed El-Sayed and attended some of his campaign events, has consistently voiced criticism of Israel's actions in the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza. His latest comments have been condemned by a range of Democrats and Republicans.
Rep. Hillary Scholten of Michigan described Piker as "a hack who thrives on hate." Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers criticized both Piker and El-Sayed, stating, "More calls for violence coming out of the El-Sayed campaign." Rogers added, "Here is his running mate, Hasan Piker, saying that if AMERICAN JEWS support Israel, they will be violently targeted because of it. Absolutely DISGUSTING. If Abdul El-Sayed had any courage at all, he would call this out and disavow Hasan Piker once and for all."
In response, El-Sayed stated, "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." He further asserted, "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."
El-Sayed also suggested that some politicians are attempting to make the Senate race about a Twitch streamer rather than focusing on issues important to Michiganders, such as "gas, groceries, good schools, and healthcare."
El-Sayed, a former Wayne County Health Department director and an epidemiologist, unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2018. If elected to the Senate, he would be the first Muslim senator. His platform includes support for Medicare for All and the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
His criticisms of Israel's military actions in Gaza, which he has characterized as "bloodthirsty" and accused Israeli leadership of genocide, have also drawn attention. El-Sayed has opposed unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel and has often declined to state directly whether Israel has a right to exist, while simultaneously affirming his solidarity with the Jewish community and condemning antisemitism.
Rogers, who is again seeking a Senate seat after narrowly losing in 2022, is actively campaigning to attract Democratic voters, particularly Jewish voters who may be uncomfortable with El-Sayed's positions on Israel and his association with Piker. Rabbi Asher Lopatin, speaking at a Rogers campaign event, stated that El-Sayed "has shown contempt for the Jewish community and, frankly, for American values by making Hasan Piker, a vicious antisemite and racist, his campaign surrogate and somebody he buddies up with."
An open letter circulated among some Jewish leaders in Michigan urges Jewish Democrats and independents to support Rogers, with one anonymous individual involved in the letter describing the situation as a "do-or-die moment" and suggesting a "leftward drift has turned into an anti-Jewish drift as well."
However, Joan Lowenstein, endorsement chair of the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus, stated her group would not advocate for voting Republican, though she acknowledged the passion behind the letter and the concerns it represents for many voters.
El-Sayed's Communications Director, Roxie Richner, stated that El-Sayed consistently differentiates between criticizing the state of Israel and antisemitism and that the nominee remains in dialogue with Jewish leaders across the state.