Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York said people like Hasan Piker are elevating campaigns for candidates like Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong.
“As far as Piker is concerned, if you are a candidate trying to appeal to the primary electorate of the Democratic Party, Hasan Piker is a winner,” York said on Fox News’s The Ingraham Angle Thursday.
Hong hosted left-wing commentator Hasan Piker at a campaign rally on Sunday in Milwaukee. Hong is currently projected as the front-runner for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
Piker first gained widespread attention in 2019 when he said the United States “deserved” 9/11. He has been criticized for making provocative statements about Jews. He also recently wore a Mao-style suit at a national convention, according to Fox News.
Piker’s online popularity on streaming platforms such as Twitch made him an attractive addition for candidates trying to win over voters.
“If you’re Hong, you think to yourself, ‘Is Piker a net plus or a net minus?’ I think with the primary electorate, he’s a net plus,” York said.
York argued socialists are operating at a new level. He said that while Hong is ahead in a statewide primary, primary elections are not the sole indicator of how a campaign will perform in November.
“In the primary, you can have these fringe candidates do very, very well. And I think we should realize that right now, we’re talking about a [Democratic Socialists of America party] that is at a much higher level than we were talking about just a few weeks ago,” York said.
The Wisconsin primary election will be held on Aug. 11.