Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed distances himself from Hasan Piker, says he doesn’t ‘give much weight to the statements made by a social media streamer’
Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is distancing himself from Hasan Piker after the political streamer told Axios that the United States is “pound-for-pound” worse than al-Qaeda.
On Wednesday, September 16, El-Sayed made it clear that he doesn’t share Piker’s view and isn’t putting much stock in what the streamer has to say.
Not much ‘weight’
“I do not agree with this statement [on al-Qaeda], nor do I give much weight to the statements made by a social media streamer,” he told the outlet.
“I am more concerned with the dangerous policies of Donald Trump and Mike Rogers that are raising the prices of gas, groceries and healthcare for Michiganders.”
The issue is likely to keep coming up in the Michigan Senate race. Republicans have repeatedly pointed to El-Sayed’s connection to Piker, who campaigned alongside him during the primary.
‘Top dog in terrorism’
The Twitch political streamer made the comments while speaking with Axios about his previous statement that America is “the top dog in terrorism.”
When asked whether he thought the United States worse than al-Qaeda, he answered, “Pound for pound as far as the number of deaths, yes.”
“We have caused tremendous terror all around the world,” Piker added.
Piker speaking about the U.S.
Piker also brought up the deadly attack at an elementary school in Minab, Iran, that killed more than 100 people earlier this year.
He continued, “If you’re killing 140 schoolgirls, that is an act of terror.”
Republican-affiliated groups have since used those words in ads targeting El-Sayed. According to Axios, nearly $3 million has been spent tying the Democratic nominee to the streamer.
El-Sayed and Piker’s connection
Rogers, El-Sayed’s opponent, is one of the Republicans making that connection.
At the GOP midterm convention in Dallas, he said El-Sayed had “chosen” Piker “as his running mate,” adding that “together, they attack America, excuse extremism, and treat our country like the villain.”
“I never imagined that 25 years after 9/11, I would be running against somebody that campaigns with Hasan Piker, who thinks America deserved it,” Rogers said, referring to Piker’s past comments about the September 11 attacks.
The political commentator previously said, “America deserved 9/11,” during a 2019 livestream. He later noted his wording could have been better, explaining that he “should’ve used more precise and better use of the language there.”