Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed distances himself from left-wing streamer Hasan Piker following intense backlash over Piker's highly controversial remarks. Political commentator Stephanie Hamill joins to discuss the political fallout and the strong condemnation from Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff. This controversy highlights growing tensions within the party ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have leapt to controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker’s defense, blasting both Democrats and Republicans on Sunday for criticizing Piker and for introducing a resolution to condemn socialism on the House floor.
"The establishment: Ds, Rs + media, have pivoted from DSA wins to personal attacks, racist dog whistles, symbolic House resolutions, and an obsession with a Twitch streamer. What would happen if they devoted that same attention to the thousands of Americans who die each year because they can’t afford healthcare?" the DSA's official X account wrote Sunday.
The account then followed up with a post calling Piker "*our Twitch streamer."
HASAN PIKER IS BECOMING THE 'FACE OF THE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT,' FORMER DEMOCRATIC OPERATIVE WARNS
Twitch streamer Hasan Piker claimed that AIPAC was behind the wave of Democrats criticizing his rhetoric. (Florencia Tan Jun/Web Summit via Sportsfile via Getty Images)
Piker has become a prominent figure in the ongoing battle for the Democratic Party's soul, as moderate and pro-Israel Democrats implore their political allies to distance themselves from the popular content creator.
While the DSA as an organization has now publicly backed the 35-year-old commentator, other Democrats have held him at arm's length. Some Democrats have gone as far as publicly criticizing Piker's rhetoric surrounding Jews.
DEMOCRATS CONDEMNING HASAN PIKER AS BACKLASH SPREADS THROUGH PARTY
Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., whose increasingly public attacks on President Donald Trump have some speculating he's gearing up for his own presidential run, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday through a spokesperson that he "unreservedly rejects reckless and dangerous rhetoric suggesting that policy advocacy invites violence against the Jewish community or any community."
Ossoff's comments came after Piker, during an Aug. 20 Twitch stream, said, "If Jews in America keep putting this idea out there that they are singularly invested in Israel, eventually someone’s going to come around and take action… Not against the state of Israel, mind you, but against American Jews."
JON OSSOFF CONDEMNS HASAN PIKER'S RHETORIC AS STREAMER DECLARES MAINSTREAM MEDIA 'CRISIS OF CREDIBILITY'
Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff speaks to members of the media during the opening of the Democratic Party of Georgia's South DeKalb Field Office and canvass kick off in Decatur, Ga., on Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Ossoff is not the only Democrat to publicly criticize Piker. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., who, like Ossoff, is Jewish, said he doesn't believe his party's tent is big enough for both him and Piker.
FLORIDA DEMOCRAT SENDS 'CONDOLENCES' TO HASAN PIKER AFTER DEFEATING DSA CHALLENGER IN FLORIDA PRIMARY
