If Hasan Piker had a heart, it would probably be breaking right now, the way the Democrats are trying to diminish his role in Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed's campaign. Just last week, Rolling Stone named Piker to the No. 3 spot on its annual list of the top "influencers" in America. But the memo has gone out now, and if you ask El-Sayed or any Democratic Socialist, Piker is a nobody. After Piker targeted a Jewish politician by name, El-Sayed put out a statement referring to him only as a Twitch streamer. A couple of days later, El-Sayed complained that "you would think, if you turned on any media, that this whole campaign is about a streamer in California." This week, Bernie Sanders dismissed Piker as "just a podcaster," despite having actively campaigned with El-Sayed.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also got the memo, dismissing Piker, who said that America deserved 9/11, as just "a Twitch streamer" to CNN's Manu Raju.
Raju: Does El-Sayed need to do more to disavow Hasan Piker?
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 31, 2026
AOC: I do not think that a Twitch streamer is what the people of Michigan are concerning themselves with, so I think that what they want to hear all of us talk about is how we’re gonna make their lives more affordable. pic.twitter.com/2I72q8AbtK
AOC: He is just a streamer
— Big Fish (@BigFish3000) September 1, 2026
Also AOC pic.twitter.com/qyAon28u8M
— chromodirac (@chromodira6221) September 1, 2026
Nice of Sanders and AOC to take the time to hang out with just a podcaster.
Hamas Piker is "just a twitch streamer" lol.
— Vince P 🇺🇸 🇮🇹 🏳️🌈 (but not braindead) (@VinceP1974Chi) September 1, 2026
One says it, and they all say it, like parrots.
If he is just some Twitch streamer from California, why did El-Sayed bring him on the trail and ask him to stump? Jewish voters in Michigan have heard the comments. Calling that a distraction is the same dodge El-Sayed is using. People noticed.
— Illinois Conservative (@ILConservative_) September 1, 2026
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Just a Twitch streamer? Sure. A vile, hateful, anti-Semitic, terrorist sympathizing Twitch streamer. A streamer who should be condemned in the strongest words possible by anyone holding or seeking to hold elected office.
— Lisa (@politeracy) September 1, 2026
Yeah this talking point isn't gonna work. A guy they've campaigned with isn't just a Twitch streamer he's a legit political figure
— Donald O'Brien (@donalobrien101) September 1, 2026
Again, just saying he's simply a "Twitch streamer" and not an influential member of the DSA is not the way to handle this.
— Ed Kamen (@EdKamen) September 1, 2026
Embrace him or dump him. If he hangs around, he'll be an albatross for every Democrat running for office.
So “Twitch streamer” is the official DNC talking point that they’ve been told to use to describe Piker.
— 🌺DrMayaPuri🌺 (@MBP7878) September 1, 2026
BRILLIANT Dems.
So clever.
We’ll never figure it out.🤦♀️
As our own Warren Squire reported just a bit ago, El-Sayed claims that he's also been "hanging out" with Fox News' Jesse Watters after having remotely appeared on his show for a single one-off interview segment.
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