Michigan Senate Candidate El‑Sayed Campaigns With Hasan Piker, Drawing Intra‑Democratic Backlash Over Israel‑Gaza and Iran War Remarks
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Abdul El‑Sayed campaigned with controversial streamer Hasan Piker at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan on April 7, drawing bipartisan Democratic criticism from Rep. Haley Stevens, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, the ADL and centrist group Third Way over Piker’s past remarks—including his characterization of Oct. 7 as a “direct consequence” of Israeli and U.S. actions and other statements widely condemned as excusing violence. El‑Sayed defended appearing with Piker on Fox & Friends—explicitly saying he opposes rape and that 9/11 was not justified—called the backlash “cancel culture,” clarified his comments about Dearborn as concern over the human and financial costs of the Iran war, and said he is “no apologist for any regime,” as Piker accused prominent Democrats of echoing corporate donors amid a politically sensitive Michigan electorate with a large Arab, Muslim and Palestinian American population.