Raskin dismisses Piker’s pro-Hamas sentiment as ‘irrelevant distraction’
Rep.Jamie Raskin (D-MD) dismissed pro-Hamas remarks by left-wing commentator Hasan Piker as an “irrelevant distraction” that won’t impact the midterm elections. Piker has gained attention for his favorable comments about Hamas, which attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, including his statement that he would vote for Hamas over Israel. This has caused outrage among some Democrats.
House Democrat Hillary Scholten condemned Piker and distanced herself from democratic nominee Abdul el Sayed in Michigan due to his association with Piker, although they remain linked over anti-Israel views. Raskin emphasized that support for Hamas is universally rejected and suggested that the focus should be on opposing Donald Trump in the upcoming elections.
El Sayed, who is running for Michigan’s Senate seat, has publicly distanced himself from Piker but shares similar progressive and anti-Israel views. Both Piker and el Sayed have appeared together at campaign events, though their political differences exist. Piker’s comments and associations have drawn criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, with accusations of antisemitism.Raskin emphasized that political disputes over Israel do not belong in the midterm election narrative.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) dismissed left-wing political commentator Hasan Piker’s pro-Hamas remarks as an “irrelevant distraction” that he believes will not affect the outcome of the midterm elections.
Piker has been in the headlines for his glowing comments about Hamas, which attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. In a recent interview, the progressive figure said he “would vote for Hamas over Israel every single time.” This has prompted outrage from certain Democrats.
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Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI), for example, publicly denounced Piker and withheld her endorsement of Abdul el Sayed, the Democratic nominee for the Senate race in Michigan, due to his association with Piker. El Sayed has responded by distancing himself from Piker, though the two remain closely linked over their anti-Israel views.
Asked by NBC News’s Meet the Press host Kristen Welker if Piker should be included in the Democratic Party, Raskin said he doesn’t know if the Twitch streamer “considers himself a Democrat” because Piker criticized the Jewish congressman for campaigning with el Sayed and other Democratic candidates in Michigan.
Nonetheless, Raskin said, “All of that is an irrelevant distraction.”
“Obviously, nobody supports Hamas, a terrorist organization which brutally attacked Israel on Oct. 7,” he added. “But people here also don’t support the policies of Bibi Netanyahu. But we’re not going to be able to work that out in the next 60 days.”
Rather, the House Democrat argued, the party’s focus should be on President Donald Trump and his policies for the midterm elections.
Democrats are seeking to retake control of Congress this fall. Republicans are more at risk of losing their narrow majority in the House, but Democrats are similarly eyeing control of the Senate. El Sayed is one such Democrat running for the upper chamber. In November, he will face former Michigan Republican Rep. Mike Rogers for the state’s open Senate seat.
El Sayed and Piker have appeared together in public at several campaign events early in the 2026 primary election cycle before controversy swirled around the internet personality. Their politics slightly differ — Piker is a self-described socialist, whereas el Sayed is a progressive who welcomes support from the Democratic Socialists of America.
Both Democrats and Republicans have accused Piker of antisemitism regarding his critical remarks about Israel and Jewish Americans.
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