Socialist Twitch streamer Hasan Piker said he would “absolutely” campaign for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) if she runs for president in 2028, while largely rejecting the idea of returning to Michigan to campaign for Democratic Senate nominee Abdul el Sayed before the midterm elections.
Piker, the controversial commentator who recently called America “pound for pound” worse than al Qaeda, had initially campaigned with el Sayed for much of his primary against Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI). However, since winning the primary, el Sayed has faced calls to denounce Piker over his inflammatory, anti-Israel comments and has not campaigned with the streamer since.
In an interview with Axios published Friday, Piker shared his recent distance from el Sayed’s campaign in Michigan. Piker said he would “go wherever” his “services are needed,” but at this point, with the general election voters el Sayed is trying to court, more involvement in the race might backfire. Piker said if el Sayed called him for help, it would indicate that there are “real deep problems.”
“My job isn’t to get 65-plus-year-olds out to vote for the Democratic candidate,” Piker said. “My job is to get under 45-year-old, college-educated, and non-college-educated men to come out and participate.”
The streamer told the outlet, however, that el Sayed’s campaign has not had any conversations with him, either asking him to come or not to come to Michigan.
Piker did say that he wants to be back on the campaign trail in 2028, specifically for Ocasio-Cortez. When asked if he would campaign for the socialist from the Bronx, Piker said, “Absolutely, yes.”
“I think AOC would be a good candidate,” Piker said, noting that he has talked to Ocasio-Cortez and her team, but not disclosing what the conversations have been about. He said he has also spoken with politicians, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and others, who would be less expected.
HASAN PIKER GIVES DEMOCRATS THEIR LATEST HEADACHE AFTER CALLING US ‘WORSE’ THAN AL QAEDA
The streamer’s comments seem to ensure that his controversial presence on the campaign trail will extend into 2028, giving the Democratic Party more years of debating whether or not his influence on young voters is good for the party. Many of his controversial comments have been used by Republican political firms for campaign ads, which some Democrats see as a vulnerability.
Piker’s support for candidates in the 2026 elections has brought much media buzz and attention, as pundits say his comments, including when he said he “would vote for Hamas over Israel every single time,” show that he is antisemitic. Piker has denied the claims that he is antisemitic.