By The Daily Wire (World News) | Created at 2026-10-07 15:40:54 | Updated at 2026-10-07 21:11:34
10 hours ago
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed reportedly told communist streamer Hasan Piker that his American-hating rhetoric is costing him critical votes.
The insurgent leftist — who enlisted Piker’s help in defeating the party establishment over the summer — is now urging the streamer to dial back his inflammatory rhetoric and aggressive political commentary as he works to shore up key Democratic constituencies, according to CNN.
It’s the clearest sign yet that the California-based provocateur has become a political headache for El-Sayed, who is seeking to become the first Muslim U.S. senator. Piker has said that America “deserved” 9/11, that Zionists should fear for their safety, and, more recently, told Axios that the United States is “pound for pound” worse than al-Qaeda when it comes to terrorism.
The extremism is a bridge too far for many Michiganders, including key demographic groups who have long voted for team blue. In Southfield, a Detroit suburb, Rabbi Aaron Starr told CNN he is worried about the safety of Jews as the world marks the third anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attacks.
“I can’t vote for a candidate who won’t affirm my most basic core needs and values,” Starr said. “No matter what, we’re all going to have to do our very best to make America a safer and freer country for every American. I can only do that, my community can only participate in those efforts, if we feel safe.”
He’s not alone. Democratic Lansing Mayor Andy Schor, who supported Democrat Haley Stevens in the primary, said he feels so alienated by El-Sayed’s anti-Israel platform that he is likely not to vote at all. Schor said he’s willing to meet with the Democrat but hasn’t heard a word from him.
“If he doesn’t need me, he doesn’t need me,” Schor told the outlet. “And that’s their strategic decision.”
A panel of self-described “committed Democrats” told liberal network MS NOW on Tuesday they could not vote for El-Sayed. During a group discussion that aired Tuesday on “Morning Joe,” several Michigan voters who described themselves as lifelong Democrats said they wanted to support the party’s candidates in November but could not bring themselves to back the leftist.
“You’re committed Democrats,” the moderator said, drawing agreement from several voters. “You want to vote for the Democratic candidate, but you just can’t.”
“They’re tying our hands,” one woman replied.
The moderator asked whether El-Sayed could do anything to win their support, adding, “But it doesn’t sound like there’s really anything — the damage has already been done.”
“I just would love for him to make a definitive statement, like just say, ‘I would like everyone to know I support Israel. You know, I support the Jewish people — you know, their right to exist without hatred.”
“Would you believe it?” another woman asked. “How could we?”
“I don’t know,” the first woman conceded.
To win Michigan, El-Sayed will need to run up the score with black voters, especially in Wayne County, home to Detroit. Black voters, however, overwhelmingly backed Stevens over El-Sayed in the divisive summer primary. The Democratic Party is now deploying former President Barack Obama to rally those voters weeks before Election Day.
