{"id":2649704,"date":"2026-08-26T05:08:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T09:08:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/el-sayed-provokes-fresh-fears-he-could-spoil-michigan-for-dems\/"},"modified":"2026-08-26T05:17:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T09:17:05","slug":"el-sayed-provokes-fresh-fears-he-could-spoil-michigan-for-dems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/el-sayed-provokes-fresh-fears-he-could-spoil-michigan-for-dems\/","title":{"rendered":"El Sayed provokes fresh fears he could spoil Michigan for Dems"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fel-sayed-provokes-fresh-fears-he-could-spoil-michigan-for-dems%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2649704&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Michigan Senate nominee Abdul el Sayed is facing criticism from fellow Democrats over his controversial statements and associations,particularly involving Twitch streamer Hasan Piker. Some Democrats consider El Sayed\u2019s refusal to disavow Piker\u2019s remarks-such as suggesting support for Israel might incite violence against Jews and comparing transgender surgeries to circumcision-as damaging to their chances in the upcoming election. Key figures, including Sen. Elissa Slotkin and Rep. Josh Gottheimer, have urged him to condemn piker more forcefully, emphasizing that his comments could alienate moderate and Jewish voters who are crucial for winning the seat. El Sayed has tried to distance himself from Piker\u2019s recent comments and has condemned antisemitism, asserting his commitment to Jewish safety and discussing campaign priorities like healthcare and education. nonetheless, critics from both sides view his responses as insufficient, and there is concern that his associations with socialist figures and policies could hinder Democratic efforts to retain the seat in Michigan.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Michigan Senate nominee <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/abdul-el-sayed\/\">Abdul el Sayed<\/a> is raising new alarms among Democrats that he could ruin their chance at maintaining the battleground seat as he digs in on certain issues, including refusing to denounce socialist Twitch streamer <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hasan-piker\/\">Hasan Piker<\/a> and likening circumcision to sex changes for minors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWacked out,\u201d \u201cpart of the problem,\u201d and \u201cdisqualifying behavior\u201d are not the criticisms of Republicans \u2014 they\u2019re condemnations from fellow Democrats, who say it should be easy to condemn Piker and appeal to swing voters.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4700528\/darline-graham-nordones-message-to-republicans-about-the-midterm-elections\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Darline Graham Nordone\u2019s message to Republicans about the midterm elections<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4700151\/democrats-fear-abdul-el-sayed-refusal-broaden-appeal-spoil-michigan\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Abdul el Sayed\u2019s refusal to broaden appeal draws fears he could spoil Michigan for Democrats<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4698197\/graham-nordone-norman-south-carolina-runoff\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Darline Graham Nordone defeats Ralph Norman in South Carolina Senate GOP runoff<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">El Sayed, himself a longtime<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/israel\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"219\"> Israel<\/a> critic, distanced himself Monday from Piker\u2019s recent comments suggesting American Jewish support for Israel might prompt people to \u201ctake action\u201d against Jews in the United States but stopped short of fully denouncing him. Critics condemned Piker\u2019s remarks as his latest expression of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/antisemitism\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"376\">antisemitism<\/a> and calls for violence.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), el Sayed\u2019s colleague if he wins in November, said it \u201cshouldn\u2019t be hard\u201d <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/ElissaSlotkin\/status\/2092335061957759458?s=20\">to condemn Piker <\/a>forcefully.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Former Jill Biden spokesman Michael LaRosa called it \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MichaelLaRosaDC\/status\/2092271011571896475?s=20\">disqualifying behavior<\/a> for any Democrat\u201d to campaign with Piker. El Sayed appeared with Piker on multiple occasions during the primary.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tre Easton, a former aide to Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) and Obama administration staffer, referred to Piker as a \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/treeaston\/status\/2091949308404720112?s=20\">serious liability<\/a>\u201d in the November <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"11675\">general election <\/a>against Republican Mike Rogers, who lost to Slotkin in 2024 by just over 20,000 votes, or 0.3%. The Trump-backed candidate has <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4691366\/mike-rogers-jewish-democrats-support-against-abdul-el-sayed-michigan-senate\/\">begun to flip Democrats<\/a>, particularly those who are Jewish, in his favor.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NY), an outspoken Jewish critic of el Sayed, said \u201canyone campaigning with [Piker] is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RepJoshG\/status\/2091615433581338900?s=20\">part of the problem<\/a>\u201d that Democrats have with denouncing violence against American Jews. He added there was \u201cno way I\u2019m ever coming out for el Sayed right now\u201d when asked by CNN on Tuesday if he would vote for him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And over Piker\u2019s claim that establishment Democrats\u2019 unwillingness to disavow Israel could cost the party the Senate majority, Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI) delivered a forceful rebuke.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere\u2019s only one of us <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RepScholten\/status\/2091955371233386696?s=20\">hurting the chances<\/a> of a Democratic majority in November,\u201d Scholten said of Piker. \u201cAnd it ain\u2019t me!\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the hours after el Sayed, a doctor and former local health official, distanced himself from Piker, he sparred with Fox News\u2019s Jesse Watters over a spate of cultural issues. When asked if he supported sex changes for minors, el Sayed <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/4699303\/el-sayed-child-transgender-surgery-circumcision\/\">compared transgender surgeries<\/a> to circumcision in asking Watters if he was circumcised.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI can\u2019t begin to underscore how <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/lucymcaldwell\/status\/2092273938307092634?s=20\">wacked out<\/a> the way he\u2019s talking is going to seem to voters at the middle,\u201d said Democratic strategist Lucy Caldwell. \u201cAnswering a question about gender reassignment surgery for minor children by drawing a false equivalency to circumcision? Is that remotely serious? These are not winning messages with swing voters, dude. Get it together.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The intraparty rebuke is part of broader concerns that his proximity to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/socialism\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"510\">socialist <\/a>figures and policies will turn away swing voters.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Jewish adults alone, who make up an estimated 1.4% of the electorate, could swing the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) in favor of Rogers, despite a broader midterm tailwind that\u2019s expected to boost Democrats.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">El Sayed\u2019s statement distancing himself from Piker appeared to acknowledge a need to repair damaged relations with more centrist and Jewish Democratic voters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own daughters. Antisemitism is a scourge, and we need to address it in all its forms. And I stand against any rhetoric that puts the community at risk,\u201d el Sayed said. \u201cBut I want to be crystal clear, nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople. And while politicians and pundits try to make this race about a Twitch streamer, we\u2019re going to be talking about gas, groceries, good schools, and healthcare.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Piker has downplayed the Democratic criticism as part of \u201ca coordinated Republican smear campaign\u201d and said his initial remarks were meant as an \u201cargument against the dangerous false conflation between Zionism and Judaism, which in turn increases antisemitism.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Abdul El-Sayed speaks at a news conference at the base of the Spirit of Detroit monument in Detroit, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (AP Photo\/Paul Sancya)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/08\/localimages\/AP26231677855826.jpg?w=696&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Abdul el Sayed speaks at a news conference at the base of the Spirit of Detroit monument in Detroit, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (Paul Sancya\/AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, el Sayed\u2019s remarks have failed to stop the steady stream of outspoken criticism.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHis statements on Piker are<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/LonJohnson48226\/status\/2092299470830506003?s=20\"> too weak <\/a>against a man attacking Michigan voters and our congressional delegation,\u201d said former Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lon Johnson.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4699340\/el-sayed-slam-right-left-piker\/\">EL SAYED GETS SLAMMED FROM RIGHT AND LEFT AS HE REFUSES TO DISAVOW HASAN PIKER<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gottheimer, the New Jersey Democrat, said the nominee\u2019s statement \u201ctotally fell short.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cInstead of coming out and condemning Piker, condemning his statement, saying he refuses to ever campaign with him again, he did nothing of the sort,\u201d Gottheimer said in his remarks to CNN. \u201cThe fact that he leaves the window open to do more with Hasan Piker is totally unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>El Sayed&#8217;s controversial stance alarms Democrats over Michigan race<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3108,"featured_media":2649705,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP26231677855826.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[34167,81734,84669,37975,36160],"class_list":["post-2649704","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-democratic-primaries","tag-el-sayed","tag-electoral-fears","tag-michigan-politics","tag-political-controversy"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP26231677855826.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2649704","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3108"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2649704"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2649704\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2649707,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2649704\/revisions\/2649707"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2649705"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2649704"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2649704"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2649704"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}