Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) criticized Democrats for their lack of enthusiasm for Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul el Sayed, arguing that party leaders should focus less on el Sayed’s association with controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker.
Sanders, who has played kingmaker for the Democratic Party’s progressive flank, endorsed el Sayed during his primary campaign against Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI). The primary exposed divisions within the party, with establishment Democratic leaders backing Stevens, a more centrist candidate, over el Sayed’s progressive platform.
El Sayed also appeared on Piker’s podcast during the campaign, drawing criticism from Democrats and Republicans over his association with the streamer, who has faced condemnation for inflammatory comments about Israel, Jews, and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Sanders acknowledged that Piker has made comments that should be rejected, but he argued that Democrats are allowing the controversy to distract from el Sayed’s economic populism.
“You’re talking about a small number of people who are at the head of the Democratic Party,” Sanders said in an interview with Politico. “You’re talking about the donor class. Are they less than enthusiastic about Abdul? Yes, they are.”
Several Democrats have publicly condemned Piker and his growing role in political discourse this election cycle.
Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) said “the Democratic Party does not stand for what Hasan Piker stands for,” while Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI) called Piker “a hack who thrives on hate, shock and awe because he lacks substance.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) also condemned Piker, saying his comments regarding Jewish Americans were “malicious” and “should not be tolerated by anyone in the public square.”
“Like every other podcaster in the world, he says dumb things that people should reject,” Sanders said of Piker, arguing that Republicans are using the controversy to avoid addressing economic issues.
Sanders also dismissed Republican attacks over Democrats’ ideological labels as a distraction from issues including healthcare costs, the minimum wage, and climate change.
“Our job is to talk real issues, to refute their stupid, often bigoted charges, and I think we do that,” Sanders said.
DEMOCRATS FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF PARTY ALL RALLY BEHIND ‘BIG TENT’
Despite the Democratic establishment’s initial resistance to el Sayed during the primary, party leaders have since rallied behind him as they seek to flip the Michigan Senate seat and reclaim the upper chamber’s majority. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has endorsed el Sayed following his primary victory, despite backing his primary challenger. Schumer has also not weighed in on Piker’s role in el Sayed’s campaign.
Michigan has become one of the country’s most closely watched Senate races. The state narrowly backed President Donald Trump in both 2016 and 2024, and the Cook Political Report has rated the 2026 Senate race a “toss-up.”