Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has told veteran Democratic strategist James Carville that he should “start his own party” if he is unwilling to share the Democratic Party with figures like far-left streamer Hasan Piker.
Sanders’ remarks came as he defended his endorsement of Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who has campaigned alongside Piker and appeared on his YouTube channel. El-Sayed narrowly won the Democratic Senate primary, signaling a potential boost for the progressive wing of the party.
During an interview with CNN, when pressed about Carville's stance on not wanting to be in the same party as Piker, Sanders responded, "If Mr. Carville doesn’t want to be in my party, the party that I belong to, that Piker, that El-Sayed belongs to, he can start his own party."
Sanders also challenged the notion of ideological purity within the party, suggesting that one could also question a party that accepts money from AIPAC or supports the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He further raised concerns about the party's relationship with the AI and crypto industries due to financial contributions.
"I think we need a big tent, and I think people like Piker should be welcomed into that, certainly," Sanders stated.
The senator also addressed controversial past remarks made by Piker, including a 2019 comment that "America deserved 9/11." Sanders acknowledged the statement as "dumb" but urged a broader perspective, suggesting that people often say regrettable things, especially in lengthy daily online broadcasts. He emphasized the need to move beyond "cancel culture" and consider the overall context of an individual's views.
Piker, who later clarified his 9/11 remarks as a critique of U.S. foreign policy, has been a prominent supporter of El-Sayed's campaign. The association has drawn criticism from some within the Democratic Party.
The centrist think tank Third Way warned that embracing extremism could alienate moderate voters and benefit Republicans. According to Third Way's polling, voters in battleground states perceived the Democratic Party as more extreme than the Republican Party in the 2024 election. "Embracing extremism will only serve to hand Republicans a key pickup opportunity and imperil Democrats elsewhere," the group stated.
Third Way also expressed concern that images of El-Sayed with Piker, coupled with controversial quotes, would be used by Republicans to target swing voters. The group stressed the importance of winning over moderate voters for Democratic candidates to regain power.