Democratic candidate's events with Hasan Piker exposes party rift in Michigan

Politics Democratic Senate candidate's events with Hasan Piker exposes party rift in Michigan By Anne Bryson April 8, 2026 / 8:11 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Division within the Democratic Party over Israel was highlighted in Michigan Tuesday when left-wing podcaster Hasan Piker campaigned with Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan. El-Sayed's decision to campaign with Piker has drawn scrutiny from across the political spectrum given comments the popular streamer has made on the Israel-Hamas war. Piker, who has over three million followers on the streaming platform Twitch, is known for marathon streaming sessions that can last upwards of 10 hours. He has amassed a significant following of young, progressive men.  Hasan Piker, left, listens as Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Michigan, speaks in a green room before a campaign rally, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AP In a brief interview with CBS News prior to the MSU event, El-Sayed responded to the controversy surrounding his appearance with Piker. "The fact that this is the controversy to me, says everything we need to know about what D.C. focuses on. I don't pay much attention to D.C. I pay attention to Michigan," El-Sayed said. "Here in Michigan, people can't afford to fill up a tank because of the war that's being fought out of D.C. and have to suffer. The president is tweeting about his genocidal fantasies in Iran. He's tweeting about the drapes in a building. So at the end of the day, like, I just don't take my cues from there. We're focused on reaching out to people who feel locked out of our politics because they cannot afford the basic needs of a dignified life."El-Sayed is facing two other Democrats in the August primary, Rep. Haley Stevens and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow. McMorrow, lik...