Stevens urges El-Sayed to cut ties with Hasan Piker as Senate race heats up
Rep. Haley Stevens told Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed to drop his association with streamer Hasan Piker, urging him to focus on the upcoming general election in Michigan.
On a recent broadcast, Rep. Haley Stevens urged Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who defeated her in Michigan's hard-fought primary, to end his affiliation with far-left streamer Hasan Piker. Stevens said the nominee must now direct his energy toward winning over Michigan voters in the general election against Republican Mike Rogers. She maintained her criticism of Piker even while endorsing El-Sayed, emphasizing Democratic plans for health care, democratic reforms and support for Black-owned businesses.
Stevens pointed to her own near-win in the primary and her appeal to Jewish, Black and older Democratic voters as evidence of a broad coalition. A new one outlet's poll shows El-Sayed trailing Rogers by four points and lagging among Black, women and suburban voters compared with the 2024 presidential baseline. The Senate seat, vacated by retiring Sen. Gary Peters, is viewed as a pivotal contest for control of the chamber.
Why it matters
The endorsement and strategy shift could influence Michigan's decisive Senate race and affect the balance of power in Congress.
How this story developed
- Jul 31 Hasan Piker says 2028 Democratic nominee will be anti-Israel, backs AOC
- Aug 10 Abdul El‑Sayed secured the Democratic nomination in the Michigan Senate primary.
- Aug 10 Pete Buttigieg is slated to headline a Democratic conference in South Carolina while weighing a possible 2028 presidential bid.
- Aug 11 The piece lists three controversial positions taken by Democratic officeholders between 2018 and 2024, portraying them as emblematic of a “crazy” progressive wave.
- Aug 11 Piker’s mother publicly said she does not share his enthusiasm for China.
- Aug 12 State Rep. Francesca Hong, a Democratic Socialists of America member, lost to Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley in Wisconsin's Democratic governor primary.
- Aug 12 Crowley will face Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in the November general election.
- Aug 13 Mike Rogers has continued to cite the 2019 Hasan Piker comment in campaign materials.
- Aug 13 Crowley re‑entered the primary after briefly withdrawing, gaining Governor Tony Evers’s endorsement.
- Aug 13 The Green Party nominated Shane Dedrick, prompting accusations of a possible Republican infiltration.
- Aug 15 Recent opinion pieces shift the focus of criticism from the Israel lobby to Islamic‑linked donors.
- Aug 15 AOC’s remark labeling the early “woke” period as “crazy” sparked widespread media reaction.
- Aug 15 The University of Washington withdrew Piker’s scheduled speech.
- Aug 16 The DNC voted to make South Carolina the first 2028 Democratic primary.
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