Michael LaRosa, a former press secretary for then-first lady Jill Biden, announced he will not support Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed. LaRosa cited El-Sayed's refusal to distance himself from streamer Hasan Piker, who made remarks about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that El-Sayed has been associated with.
LaRosa, who broke with his party in a public statement, focused his criticism on El-Sayed's past appearances with Piker. Piker had stated during a 2019 livestream that "America deserved 9/11." El-Sayed has defended his appearances with the streamer, stating that campaigning with someone does not equate to endorsing every statement they have made.
For LaRosa, the issue is personal. He stated that his best friend's mother died on Sept. 11 after jumping from the World Trade Center to escape the burning building. "I won’t defend or support anyone who is too cowardly to stand up to extremists who think the mother of my best friend, who jumped from 95 stories because the alternative was worse, deserved what happened to her," LaRosa wrote in his statement. "Her only crime was showing up to work that morning."
LaRosa concluded his remarks by accusing El-Sayed of failing to stand up to "the guy who says she ‘deserved’ what she got that morning she showed up for work."
The rebuke highlights a division within the Democratic party regarding extremism and the boundaries of political discourse. Such internal friction could potentially influence outcomes in key races.
El-Sayed is running against Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers for the open Senate seat in Michigan, which is being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters. The race is considered a closely watched contest in the battleground state and could play a significant role in determining control of the Senate. A minor shift in Democratic support in Michigan could prove consequential in this election.