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Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed rejected questions on Sunday regarding his relationship with Hasan Piker, saying that the race was not about "a Twitch streamer in California."
CBS News' Weijia Jiang asked El-Sayed on "Face the Nation" about Jewish Michiganders' concerns regarding his ties to Piker, the far-left streamer who has appeared with him on the campaign trail.
"There are Jewish voters in your state who are concerned about your relationship with Piker. You have condemned antisemitism but not called out his rhetoric directly. Why not?" Jiang asked.
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Rather than answering the question, El-Sayed deflected, saying that voters were not asking him about Piker and that they were more focused on the issues impacting their daily lives.
"Weiija, with all due respect, this is the third time you’ve asked about a Twitch streamer in California. I’ve done four events in Michigan this week. You know what didn’t come up? Twitch streamers in California," El-Sayed responded. The candidate said that voters would rather discuss grocery prices, healthcare and the environment, among other things.
"I’m not interested in having a conversation about streamers in California because they are not raising the prices of gas and groceries," El-Sayed added.
El-Sayed is not the first Democrat to push back on questions about Piker. Last month, Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., demanded reporters stop asking her about Piker, saying that "Republicans are trying to make" the race about him.
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"I don’t agree with Hasan Piker on a lot of stuff, and I really don’t agree with him on some of the woman things he said. And I’m still trying to figure out, is it the reason he exercises and looks buff is why he has so many followers," Dingell said during a student town hall with El-Sayed and Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md.
Piker has been vocal about his support for El-Sayed, going so far as to call on Democrats to punish those within the party who oppose the Michigan candidate.
"You can't be out here saying like, 'Oh, I'm a centrist Democrat. And I think Abdul is a bridge too far.' That must be punished," Piker said during a stream in August.
While El-Sayed previously appeared with Piker on the campaign trail, he told Semafor in August that he had "no plans" to campaign with the controversial streamer. This came after Piker, who is known for his inflammatory rhetoric and anti-Israel stance, made a remark about Jewish Americans' support for Israel that drew the ire of several Democrats.
"People don't f--- with Israel any longer. And if Jews in America keep putting this idea out there that they're singularly invested in Israel, eventually someone will come around and take action not against Israel, mind you, but against American Jews," Piker said during his stream on Aug. 20.
Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich., condemned Piker in a statement, calling him "a hack who thrives on hate, shock and awe because he lacks substance."
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Several other Democratic lawmakers spoke out against Piker after he made the remarks, including Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J.; Jon Ossoff, D-Ga.; Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich.; and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev.; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.; and Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J.; Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y.; Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla.; Brad Schneider, D-Ill.; and Greg Stanton, D-Ariz.
El-Sayed also responded to Piker's comments, and while he did not condemn the streamer outright, he denounced antisemitism and rhetoric that puts the Jewish community in danger.
"I believe all Americans deserve the right to advocate for what they believe without fear of violence. This is particularly true for communities that have been intimidated for their beliefs in the past," El-Sayed wrote at the time.
"My commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own daughters," he added. "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."
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